The socialist Justice counselor grants parole to an ETA member sentenced in 2023 to 19 years in prison for murdering Juan Priede

The Basque Government's Justice Department has granted Asier Eceiza, convicted for the 2002 murder of socialist councilor Juan Priede, a third degree prison status. Eceiza will now be allowed to leave the Zubieta prison daily and stay at home on weekends. This decision follows a day after a judge annulled similar semi-freedom statuses for other ETA leaders. Justice Minister María Jesús San José attended a memorial event for terrorism victims, where the judge's annulments were announced. Eceiza, involved in ETA's logistics and explosive setups, was sentenced to 19 years in prison and ordered to pay compensation to Priede's children. Victims' groups criticized the government's swift decision, arguing it undermines judicial authority and aligns with pro-ETA agendas.