28.10.2021 - 13:21
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Actualització: 28.10.2021 - 15:21
The Belgian Constitutional Court struck down the country’s law against slander to the monarchy for violating the right to freedom of expression as well as the European Convention on Human Rights due to Spain’s request to extradite Valtònyc, a Catalan-language rapper.
Victory. The constitutional court abolishes the criminal law on lese majesty, by declaring it contrary to freedom of expression. A historic step for our internal Belgian legal order, and good news for the #valtonyc extradition case. https://t.co/LUx0i5zaZN
— Simon Bekaert (@Simonbekaert) October 28, 2021
Sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for glorifying terrorism, threats, and insulting the monarchy, Valtònyc (whose real name is Josep Miquel Arenas) left his home in Mallorca in May 2018 and traveled to Belgium, pledging he “would not make it easy” for Spanish authorities to incarcerate him.
The Ghent Appellate Court, which is handling Spain’s extradition request, asked the Belgian Constitutional Court over a year ago whether Valtònyc’s case was covered by freedom of expression.
