The number of deaths as a direct consequence of violence carried out by the Spanish and French States is 366

1. Deaths by States’ agents: 219

2. Deaths by dirty war: 79

  • GAL: 29
  • BVE: 25.
  • Triple A: 8
  • GAE: 5
  • Enforced dissapearances: 4
  • Dirty war (no claimed): 8

3. Deaths caused by exceptional political measures applied: 64

  • As a consequence of the penitentiary policy: 35
  • As a consequence of the deportation policy: 9
  • As a consequence of the dispersion policy: 16
  • Drivings to suicide: 4

4. Deaths by fascistand right-wing extremism attacks: 4

In addition, at least 115 other people have lost their lives in different circumstances related to the conflict (armed confrontations, accidents, etc.).

Under international standards these sufferings cannot be considered violations of human rights. Nevertheless, in regard to the definitive overcoming of the Basque political conflict, it is important to know and consider these sufferings and to make sure they are also part of the legacy, in order to definitively overcome the conflict.


Only 88 victims have been officially recognized, the 24,04% of the total.

  • 35 persons out of 219 have been officially recognized as “victims caused by the security forces’ violence from 1960 to 1978”, by Basque Government Decree 107/2012. Another 5 people are recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Interior as "victims of terrorism", but there are doubts about the authorship. That is, only 18,2% of these casualties.
  • 46 persons out of 79 have been officially recognized as victims of ATE, BVE, GAL or GAE groups, by Law 29/2011 (of the Spanish Government), Law 32/1999 (regulation issued by the Spanish Government) and Law 4/2008 (regulation of the Basque Government), only 58,2%. The authorship of two cases is unclear.
  • Only 2 persons dead as a consequence of the exceptional measures applied to Basque citizens has ever been somehow recognized by Local Councils, but never in an official way.
  • 2 people out of the 4 killed by fascist and right-wing extremism attacks have been recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Internal Affairs as victims of terrorism (29/2011 Law).

In addition, the Spanish State has many times blocked initiaves for recognition and truth seeking:

  • The Spanish State denied the rights of equalitarian compensation to those who had been previously accepted as victims of State terrorism.
  • Appeal against 16/2015 law passed by Navarra Autonomous Parliament, which was then annulled.
  • Maintaining the 9/1968 Official Secrets Law.
  • Null or hindered judicial investigations.
  • Decorations and pardons to agents that have committed serious violations of human rights.