No decision will be reached on extraditing Spanish rapper Valtònyc before 17th September. That's the day he next has to appear before the court in Ghent, Belgium, considering his case. The musician's lawyers have argued their client is protected by freedom of expression and called for the extradition warrant against him to be rejected as being contrary to human rights.
The rapper went into exile in Belgium after Spain's Supreme Court sentenced him to three and a half years in prison on charges of glorifying terrorism, insulting the crown and threats for his lyrics.
Leaving the court, Valtònyc said that he doesn't believe he'll be extradited, arguing he has "a very good defence" and that "to beat the Spanish justice system only requires waiting for it to mess up, something it's doing very well".
The Mallorcan singer showed himself to be happy to be free at the same time as expressing regret that "in Spain some people have to be in prison for having done nothing". Moreover, he said the word "terrorism" is being trivialised to persecute idea: "It's very sad that there should be a politicised justice system driven by its ideology".
Valtònyc closed his comments to the press saying: "I don't support terrorism because I don't agree with what happened on 1st October in Catalonia nor do I agree with the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia by the Spanish monarchy. That is terrorism".
Boye: "It's not about a charge of terrorism"
His defence counsel argued, according to lawyer Gonzalo Boye, that Valtònyc's case isn't about terrorism. "There are things which have become clear, and one of them is that it's not about a charge of terrorism," he said. He said he believes the hearing went "very well" and that on 17th there will be a "very good verdict".