The Department of Justice and Human Rights of the Basque Government has granted the third degree or semi-freedom to ETA prisoners Juan Antonio Olarra Guridi and Xabier Zabalo Beitia. The decision, which can be appealed in court by the Prosecutor’s Office, will allow both to leave prison daily, where they will only have to return to sleep from Monday to Thursday. A similar exit regime was applied to Olarra Guiridi, who was one of those responsible for ETA’s military apparatus until his arrest in France in 2002, since last July when article 100.2 of the Penitentiary Regime was applied to him. This former head of the terrorist organization had a key role in the group of ETA prisoners (EPPK in its Basque acronym) that led, in 2021, to what they receive when they are released. For his part, Zabalo is eight months away from expiring the 25-year sentence imposed on him. Both have written letters of forgiveness to their victims, according to their files.
