Former ETA Leader Juan Carlos Iglesias Chouzas Granted Third-Grade Prison Status

The Basque Government has re-granted third-degree status – allowing for increased freedom and potential work release – to Juan Carlos Iglesias Chouzas, known as ‘Gadafi,’ a former leader of the now-defunct ETA organization. Iglesias Chouzas was convicted of multiple murders and other crimes, including the 1991 killing of Guardia Civil officer Ricardo Cousso and the 1998 killing of Ramón Bañuelos.

The decision, confirmed by sources within the Basque Government, has drawn criticism from victims’ associations. Covite, a collective representing victims of terrorism, denounced the granting of third-degree status as a “fraudulent” measure, characterizing it as a “third degree in disguise” and deeming it “indignity and injustice.” The Colectivo de Víctimas del Terrorismo del País Vasco (Collective of Victims of Terrorism of the Basque Country) also voiced its opposition, criticizing the application of the relevant article of the Penitentiary Regulations to “the sanguinary” ‘Gadafi’ via social media.

Convictions and Sentencing

Juan Carlos Iglesias Chouzas, ‘Gadafi,’ was sentenced in 2006 by the National Court to a total of 156 years and 11 months in prison for his involvement in several murders. These include the aforementioned killings of Ricardo Cousso and Ramón Bañuelos. He was also convicted for his role in an attack against the police in Bilbao in September 1990. In the same year, he received an additional 18-year sentence for shooting at a man in Barrika, Bizkaia, whom he mistakenly believed to be a member of the National Police Corps. Further, he was sentenced to 8 years for robbing a taxi in July 1991, tying up the driver, and falsely reporting the vehicle was laden with explosives near the San Mamés football stadium in Bilbao.

Previous Granting of Third Degree and Appeals

This represents not the first time ‘Gadafi’ has been granted third-degree status. He initially received the concession under Article 100.2 of the Penitentiary Regulations in April 2025, which allows for the flexibility of a prisoner’s classification to enable work release without being in an open regime. However, this initial granting was appealed by national prosecutors. The Basauri prison board had previously approved third-degree status for Iglesias Chouzas after reviewing writings in which he expressed remorse, including a reference to being deeply marked by the death of Fabio Moreno. The Public Prosecutor’s Office appealed that decision, and it was subsequently revoked by the judge of Prison Supervision.

Remorse and Rehabilitation Assessment

The Basauri prison board’s initial approval of third-degree status was based on several factors, including seven incident-free permits granted in 2025, family support, positive engagement in volunteer work, partial payment of civil liability, and a job offer. Prosecutors, however, contested the decision, citing the severity of the crimes and the cumulative sentence of 1,123 years, despite a 30-year effective maximum term. Covite has specifically criticized the reliance on statements authored by the inmate as proof of remorse.

Iglesias Chouzas is scheduled to complete his sentence in 2032. He had previously been granted flexibility under Article 100.2 of the Penitentiary Regulations.

ETA and Recent Developments

ETA, the Basque separatist group, formally dissolved in 2018 after decades of violence. However, the issue of prisoners remains contentious in Spain. The granting of privileges to former ETA members continues to spark debate and controversy, particularly among victims’ groups. In a separate incident, Nagore Múgica, a member of ETA, was arrested in Alicante in 2014, according to government records.