Belgium’s Constitutional Court is expected to rule on whether a 19th century Belgian law criminalising insults to the King is in line with domestic and international human rights law. The Belgian Constitutional Court’s assessment will have important consequences in proceedings against Josep Arenas Beltran, a Spanish rapper better known by his stage-name Valtònyc who is facing potential extradition from Belgium to Spain. Amnesty international urges the Spanish authorities to withdraw the European Arrest Warrant against Valtònyc, and the Belgian government to comply with its human rights obligations by not facilitating the transfer of Valtònyc to Spain where he will likely be imprisoned solely for having exercised his right to freedom of expression.
