The conviction of a renowned Turkish pianist for “denigrating Islam” on Twitter sends a “chilling” message to social media users in the country, Amnesty International said today.

Fazil Say, who has played in some of the world's leading orchestras, was today given a 10-month suspended sentence for posting tweets mocking religious individuals and Islamic conceptions of heaven in April 2012. 

Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s Turkey expert, said:

“The conviction of Fazil Say is a flagrant violation of his freedom of expression, made possible by one of Turkey's most draconian laws.

“This case sends a chilling warning to anyone using Twitter or other social media in Turkey. Namely, that if you express an opinion the authorities don't like, you could be next."

Charges against Say cited nine tweets on his account, including a re-tweet saying: “I am not sure if you have noticed, but where there's a louse, a non-entity, a lowlife, a thief or a fool, they are all Islamists. Is this a paradox?” 

A package of reforms passed on 12 April by Turkey's parliament – called the “fourth judicial package” – failed to overhaul the county’s outdated and restrictive laws curtailing freedom of expression. 

Say, who has played with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Symphony Orchestra and others, said he was “saddened” by the verdict. 

“I am very disappointed for freedom of expression. The fact that I have been convicted despite not having committed a crime is more worrying for the right to freedom of expression and belief in Turkey than it is for me personally,” the pianist was reported as saying by Turkish media today.  By the terms of Say's sentence, he faces jail is he is found guilty of the same offence within the next five years.

Andrew Gardner added: