The National High Court of Spain has ordered the imprisonment of the antiimperialist and revolutionary Catalan rapper Pablo Rivadulla, known as Pablo Hasél, to serve a nine-month prison sentence for "glorifying terrorism, and insults and slander against the monarchy and the forces and bodies State security" and for the alleged spreading of "threatening messages on social networks".
His sentence will likely be extended to over two years as he has refused to pay a €20,000 fine, and, as he has a suspended sentence for lyrics calling for the return of armed organizations such as ETA and Terra Lliure, Hasél could be facing more than four years in prison in total. Since 2011 he has suffered arrests, follow-ups and the denial of his freedom of expression on numerous occasions, as well as the suspension of concerts.
Since the end of January a lot of demonstrations has been taken place for demanding his freedom. 200 artists, literats and intellectuals signed a call for his release of prison. Hasel said, “I don’t know what jail they’ll take me to or for how long. For all the cases I am fighting, some pending convictions and others for trial, I can spend up to almost 20 years in prison. This constant harassment I have suffered for many years and materializing beyond jail sentences, it’s not only because of my revolutionary songs, but also because of my militancy beyond music and writing.” He believes that his imprisonment is an attempt to "scare others so that they don't say the same things and don't mobilize, and to try to silence this message that Spain considers dangerous because of their own interests." He also called up for solidarity: "the most important thing is to bring solidarity to the streets, as that is what can make the Spanish state and government back down," and lead to "freedom and freedom of expression for all."
Pablo Hazél is also supporting the justified struggle for the revolution in India, the people's war led by the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Immediate Freedom for Pablo Hasél!