San Sebastián (EFE).- The historic leader of ETA José María Arregi Erostarbe, “Fitipaldi”, has returned to the Martutene prison in San Sebastián after the Central Court of Penitentiary Surveillance of the National Court revoked the concession of the third degree granted by the Basque government in February.
Judicial sources have confirmed to EFE that the order of the Central Court of Penitentiary Supervision confirms the arguments raised at the time by the prosecution and revokes the granting of the third degree, Arregi will therefore return to the second degree classification.
Arregi, 76, was awarded the third grade last February by the Basque government’s Ministry of Justice after receiving a favorable report from the Martutene Prison Treatment Commission.
However, in March, the prosecution of the National Court appealed the granting of the third degree to “Fitipaldi”, one of the first eight ETA prisoners to whom the Basque government He granted day parole when he took control of the prison jurisdiction.
The prosecution, on the contrary, did not present an appeal for the granting of the third degree to the seven other members of ETA.
Association of family members imprisoned by ETA: “Fitipaldi” spent 31 years in prison
The association of relatives of ETA prisoners Etxerat explained that Arregi – who was arrested during the operation against the ETA leadership in Bidart in 1992 – has spent almost 31 years in prison and since 2019 , he has served three quarters of his sentence.
“Under no circumstances will they make us look back. We want to repeat it one more time. Joseba Arregi and the rest of the prisoners have the right to return home and until this path is completed we will continue to work with Basque society,” Etxerat said in a statement.