Belgium rejects extradition for rapper Valtònyc arguing freedom of speech

A court in Ghent has rejected the extradition for the Mallorcan-born rapper Valtònyc, who moved to Belgium in May in order to avoid a three and a half year prison sentence in Spain.

The court argued that it is a freedom of speech case, therefore rejecting the crimes of glorification of terrorism, slander against the crown and threats in his song lyrics. 

The Belgian prosecutor has announced an appeal against the decision, which comes after in August Belgium already rejected an automatic extradition  and granted the artist provisional freedom.

Valtònyc's reaction

"I am very happy for being free and not extradited, but at the same time I am very sad at the colleagues in Spain who are not free and who have no fair trial or justice," were Valtònyc's first comments to the press after knowing the Belgian ruling.

The artist was implicitly referring to other artists in Spain facing jail time over their lyrics and the Catalan pro-independence leaders in pre-trial jail, among others.