15/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - EU concerned at sentencing of Fazil Say. On 15 April, the EU learned “with concern” that the pianist-composer and former ambassador for the intercultural dialogue of the EU, Fazil Say, has been given a ten month suspended prison sentence for anti-Islamic words, said Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, the same day. “The EU underlines that it is important that Turkey fully respect the freedom of expression, in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the law”, Kocijancic added. Say was sentenced for having put words on the social network Twitter that were judged as blasphemous against the Muslim religion. The pianist, who opposes the government, risked up to a year an a half's prison sentence (see EUROPE 10790). (CG/transl.fl)