London, Sep 20 (IANS): The European Court for Human Rights (ECHR) has agreed to hear an appeal by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi against a tax fraud conviction, media reported Saturday.

Berlusconi's lawyer Piero Longo said the ECHR has agreed to examine claims that the 2012 trial was unfair.

The 77-year-old was convicted of inflating prices of film distribution rights bought by his company Mediaset to avoid taxes.

The 2012 conviction led Berlusconi to lose his seat in the Italian Senate and banned him from public office, BBC reported.

Longo said that there has yet not been set a date for the appeal.

He was initially sentenced to four years in prison for the fraud, but this was later commuted to one-year community service, which he started in May.

As part of that service, Berlusconi helps a home for people with Alzheimer's disease once in a week.

Berlusconi still heads the Forza Italia party and has been involved in efforts by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to reform the constitution.