Communist rapper Pablo Hasél has been sentenced to nine months in prison for ‘exalting terrorism and slandering against the Spanish Crown’.
In late January the rapper Pablo Hasél was ordered to report to prison to serve nine months and one day, after the Supreme Court confirmed a conviction finding him guilty of glorifying terrorism and insulting the Crown and state institutions.
The Spanish government on Monday (8 February 2021) announced that it is planning a reform to the criminal code that would eliminate prison terms for crimes involving freedom of expression. This came after over 200 artists – including the filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar – signed a petition defending the rapper.
The petition says that “the imprisonment of Pablo Hasél makes the sword hanging over the heads of all public figures who dare to openly criticize the actions of state institutions all the more evident. We are aware that if we allow Pablo to be jailed, tomorrow they could come after any one of us, until they have managed to stifle any whisper of dissidence.”
The Communist Youth Union of Spain, sister organisation of the YCL, have previously denounced the case, noting, “This is one more example of the hundreds of cases of police montages and farce trials. The objective of the State is to silence combative youth, prevent their organization and strengthen their institutions in the face of any questioning. It is no coincidence that one of the messages for which Pablo Hasel has been condemned was for stating that “The Bourbons are thieves.” What is clearly expressing an objective fact, entails a danger for the Regime; it cannot allow the youth to question the Monarchy as a fundamental pillar of the current system.”
Jenny Smith, is a member of the YCL’s Birmingham Branch
