argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Spanish National High Court rejects Xabier Atristain’s third grade
  • 1. The Criminal Chamber has resolved the judgment against Atristain, although Strasbourg has declared that the trial against him was not “fair”. This is the second time that the third grade has been rejected.
Aitor Gurrutxaga Muñagorri 2023ko uztailaren 27a
Xabier Atristain, espetxetik irten berri Estrasburgoko epaiaren ostean / Argazkia: tve.es

1 of the National Audience of Spain. Sare denounces the withdrawal of the third degree of political prisoner Xabier Atristain from the Criminal Section. In the words of the organization, it is clear that the position of the court is based on “reticence and cruelty”.

Sare recalls that the European Court of Human Rights participated in the proceedings of the Spanish courts in the Atristain case. The ruling explained that the right to a “fair trial” was not respected and forced the Supreme Court to review the judgment. However, the Spanish courts kept Atristain in prison.

The Gipuzkoa prison had exit permits from 2020 to 2021. In 2022 he was released for eight months. In June, however, the Supreme Court ordered the prison. In July the Basque Government approved the third grade and continued this classification for four months, until the Fiscal Ministry reresorted to the resolution of the Basque Administration.

As a result, Atristain returned to second grade and was imprisoned. The Criminal Code Treatment Commission of Gipuzkoa revised its classification in November and the third step to the third grade was proposed. The Deputy Minister of Justice of the Basque Government ratified the proposal and the Central Court of Prison Surveillance also opted for the third grade. Criminal section 1 of the National Court appealed against this decision.

Mobilisations

Sare calls to take part in the demonstrations on the last Friday of each month and, above all, to attend the mobilisation to be held in Donostia on 28 July.