It could take until 2020 for Spanish rapper, Valtonyc, to be extradited to Spain

DECISION: European justice could take until 2020 to decide on extradition. CREDIT: Facebook

THE Court of Justice of the European Union could take up to 18 months to reach a decision in on the fate of Mallorcan rapper, Josep Miquel Arenas, also known as Valtonyc.
This is because the Belgian court, which will rule if Arenas should be extradited to Spain or not, has not applied for the ‘urgent procedure’ in a request for clarification on the Spanish law of 2015.
The artist fled to Belgium in June after being sentenced by the Spanish National High Court to three and a half years in prison for crimes of threats, glorification of terrorism and insults to the Crown within his lyrics.
This sentence was later confirmed by the Second Chamber of the Supreme Court.
But earlier this month, a decision on the extradition to Spain from Belgium was postponed, and instead the Ghent Court of Appeals sent a preliminary ruling question to the European Court in Luxembourg to clarify certain legal issues under Spanish criminal law of 2015.
The Belgian justice initially refused to extradite Arenas in September, alleging there was no ‘double criminality’, and that none of the three charges for which he was convicted in Spain are criminalised in both countries.
This decision was appealed by the Ghent Prosecutor’s Office.

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Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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