Rapper Valtonyc: 'I just sang, my crime is being left-wing, communist and pro-independence'
Artist convicted to three years in prison by Spain says he "fully trusts" Belgium not to extradite him
Rapper Valtonyc, convicted by Spain to three and a half years in prison over the lyrics of his songs, said on Thursday that he "fully trusts" Belgium not to extradite him.
During a press conference in Brussels on the same day that a Flemish judge released him with precautionary measures while his case is being reviewed, Valtonyc said his only crime was to "sing" and "being left-wing, communist and pro-independence."
"Apparently in Spain this is illegal, they persecute you and they put you in prison," he said.
The Spanish judiciary is seeking to extradite Valtonyc, who was sentenced to prison for "glorying terrorism" and "slander" over the lyrics of his songs, which made references to the police and the King of Spain.
The artist said that while his rap songs always tried to be "provocative," they were always part of his "art" and "performances."
Valtonyc went on to say that no one would consider sending Tarantino to trial for being "violent" in films such as Kill Bill, and he insisted that he does not support violence as a political instrument.
The artist criticized the Spanish State for using the fight against terrorism as an excuse to prosecute political or social dissidents that have nothing to do with it.
Valtonyc’s press conference was his first public appearance since he left Spain last May to avoid jail time.
He has hired the same lawyer as Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont to fight the request to extradite him.
Valtonyc said that he has not received any financial support from the Catalan politicians in exile, but he praised them for being an "example" of "resistance" against the Spanish government "repression."