The Ministry of the Interior Defends Granting Third-Degree Status to ETA Prisoners

The Ministry of the Interior has defended that the current regulations are being respected regarding the progression of ETA prisoners  to third degree, also known as open regime. This measure has caused strong criticism because some of these prisoners have not shown explicit remorse for their crimes.

According to the Government, the classification of a prisoner in third degree is not a penitentiary benefit, but a modality to serve the sentence. Through a parliamentary response, the Ministry emphasizes that it is acting within the law.

In the response, the Government has pointed out that, in the case of ETA prisoners, the Penitentiary Administration considered that they met the legal requirements to continue in third degree. This includes, according to the Executive, the requirement of remorse, although this point has been a source of controversy.

Criticism of the Lack of Clear Remorse

The criticism has come from various associations of terrorism victims, who claim that some of these prisoners still maintain ties with the Basque left, without showing clear signs of remorse. The Association of Victims of Terrorism has been one of the main voices against the granting of third degree, considering that this process should not be carried out without explicit remorse.

Since the Basque Government assumed competence in penitentiary policy in 2021, 94 third degrees have been granted to 77 ETA prisoners. This data, provided by the AVT, also highlights that some of the inmates have received more than one progression to the open regime.

The Executive Defends the Legality of the Measure

The Executive has insisted that the process of granting third degree to ETA prisoners follows the established procedures. In its response to the question posed by UPN, the Government defends that it is not a "penitentiary benefit" as such. Rather, it is a modality to serve the imposed sentence, in accordance with the established regulations.

The Ministry of the Interior highlights that classification in third degree doesn't reduce the sentence time nor grant a reduction of the sentence. The difference with penitentiary benefits, such as early parole or pardon, is key in the Government's explanation.

The Case of Covite and the Complaint About New Cases

The controversy intensified on February 20, when Covite (Collective of Victims of Terrorism) denounced that the Basque Government had granted two new third degrees to ETA prisoners. According to Covite, these prisoners remain linked to the Basque left and have not shown genuine remorse, which causes discomfort among the victims and in various political sectors.

In these cases, the Basque Government, which has assumed penitentiary competence in its territory, maintains that the regulations have been correctly applied and that the prisoners progressing to third degree meet the legal requirements. However, the criticism continues, especially regarding the requirements of remorse and the lack of consensus on its interpretation.