ECHR rules Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel's prison sentence 'not disproportionate' 

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has dismissed an appeal from Catalan rapper Pablo Hasel over his conviction for glorifying terrorism and insulting the Spanish crown and state institutions. 

In the ruling published on Thursday morning, the Strasbourg court said the sentence from the Spanish courts, including prison, was "not disproportionate" and that the artist's appeal "has no basis."

In his appeal, Hasel alleged that his right to freedom of thought and conscience, right to freedom of expression, and right of redress were violated, and that the exercise of his rights was restricted. 

The court stated it "has unanimously declared the application inadmissible. The decision is final." 

"The application was rejected as manifestly ill-founded," the ruling said. 

Prison until 2027 

Hasel has been in jail since February 2021, and is not expected to be released from prison until April 2027, as he has accumulated several sentences and non-payment fines.  

The rapper was arrested to serve a two-year sentence, subsequently reduced to nine months, imposed by Spain's National Court for glorifying terrorism and slandering the monarchy in his songs and tweets.  

Hasel was also ordered to pay a €40,000 fine, which he did not pay. The non-payment was substituted for a prison sentence higher than that of the crime committed, so the nine months of imprisonment was transformed into two years and one month.  

He was also given a prison sentence of two years and six months for obstructing justice and threats, after he published a picture of a witness who was testifying in a friend's trial. Hasel was also convicted of threatening the witness.  

The rapper was also sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting a journalist from Catalan public broadcaster TV3. 

Arrest and protests 

On February 16, 2021, at around 8:30am, Hasel was arrested by Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra police after barricading himself inside a building at the University of Lleida. 

His arrest sparked a wave of nightly protests in Barcelona and other cities across Catalonia, many of which descended into violent clashes between demonstrators and police. 

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