ETXERAT has denounced that 32 Basque prisoners have been hampered by Spanish justice in the implementation of the corresponding prison measures. The association has denounced the situation at a hearing held on 15 July in the Arenal de Bilbao. In the past year, the Prosecutor ' s Office has appealed for proposals for the third grade or exit permits of 21 prisoners; the Treatment Commission has denied nine inmates to redactions and permits; and although the files of two inmates are in progress, the courts have not responded.

“It has taken more than three decades to put an end to the systematic and widespread removal of prisoners,” and family members are not prepared to wait another 30 years: “We cannot continue to be victims of the prolongation of suffering.” Despite the fact that many prisoners have been brought to Euskal Herria (in Andalusian jails there are no Basque prisoners), the association has denounced that those serving sentences are still treated "exceptionally". They have asked the Spanish State to show "political will" to allow the reintegration of prisoners and to curb violations of the rights of relatives.

At the press conference held on Thursday, 32 relatives of prisoners of eta imprisoned in the Basque Country participated. On his behalf, Nekane Basauri and Txusa Etxeandia have read a statement in which 15 people have participated. Basauri is the sentimental partner of Joseba Arrangi Erostarbe, who has explained that Arrangi, despite being 75 years old, has been in jail for 30 years, “without being a second” on the street. It has therefore considered that "it is time to apply ordinary law" and that Basque prisoners receive "humanitarian treatment from the point of view of justice".

Etxeandia is the mother of prisoner Egoitz Coto. In his view, the "obstacles and delays" put in place to put an end to the prison emergency are "out of place" and, after nearly 20 years in prison, Etxeandia has pointed out that it is time to collect permits and return home.

Exceptional cases

In Madrid and Paris, Mr Arrangi has served his sentence despite having spent the last year in Asturias and Martutene. Coto has been in the prisons of Madrid, Zaragoza, Valencia and Granada, and is now in El Dueso, in Cantabria. ETXERAT recalled that there are still 126 prisoners in prisons outside the Basque Country, including 51 prisoners.

In addition, according to the newspaper Naiz, there are 19 seriously ill prisoners, and like Arrangi, nine of them are over 70 years old. Three of them have been in prison for more than 30 years, and in total they have served three quarters of the sentence, 60 people. More than 50 prisoners in France have served some of their sentences, but those years have not been withdrawn from their sentences.