Majority of ETA Prisoners Transferred to Semi-Liberty Regime in Spain. For the first time, the number of ETA prisoners on semi-liberty exceeds those remaining under standard conditions. The Sare platform expects that by 2027, almost all convicted individuals will be released or moved to less restrictive regimes.
In Spain and France, for the first time, the majority of inmates linked to ETA have been allowed to leave prison daily. According to the Sare platform, as of the end of April, out of 118 convicts, 73 are already on semi-liberty status — that's 62% of the total. This status is granted either under the third penitentiary regime or through Article 100.2, which allows for a relaxation of conditions for those not yet transferred to the third regime but who can leave prison on weekdays.
The organization notes that by the end of 2027, almost all remaining ETA prisoners could be released or transferred to eased conditions. The exception will be those convicted under new rules, which provide for up to 40 years in prison for terrorism. Currently, just over a hundred such prisoners remain in Spanish jails, and only two in France, though in 2014 there were 465, with 140 held in French facilities.
Sare attributes the significant reduction in the number of prisoners and the rise in semi-liberty cases to two factors. The first is the introduction of the so-called 'Basque penitentiary model,' implemented by the Basque Country government since 2021 after it took over the management of prisons. During this period, the regional justice department granted the third regime to almost a hundred convicts and applied Article 100.2 to another twenty, although some decisions were overturned by the National Court.
The second factor is the reform adopted in October 2024, which allows time spent in prisons of other countries to be counted towards the total sentence. Thanks to this, five ETA prisoners and one from GRAPO have already been released, and several others have had their sentences reduced. About ten convicts are awaiting decisions on their applications, but so far the National Court has not given its consent.
At a recent event in Mondragón, Sare announced its intention to make the January action in Bilbao in 2027 the final one for the entire campaign in support of ETA prisoners. The organization’s statement hinted at a possible self-dissolution: “It is important to imagine a future where Sare is no longer needed.”
Context: In recent years, Spain has been actively reforming its penitentiary system and rules for those convicted in terrorism cases. For example, the authorities have recently announced the development of a new arms export regulation, which is set to come into force in 2027 — more on the reform of regulations for the military industry. Overall, the decline in the number of ETA prisoners reflects a long-term trend towards easing conditions and taking an individual approach to each case. According to official data, most of those remaining in prison have been convicted of serious offenses, and their release is only possible if the new legal requirements are met.
