Zaplana asks that Griñán not go to prison: "Justice loses its meaning when it forgets humanitarian reasons"

The former Minister of Labor spent nine months in provisional prison while being treated for leukemia

MADRID, 27 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The former president of the Generalitat of Valencia and former Minister of Labor with the PP, Eduardo Zaplana, has requested this Tuesday that the former Andalusian president José Antonio Griñán not go to prison after his defense requested the suspension of his entry due to a serious illness. "Justice loses its meaning when it forgets the humanitarian reasons", he has maintained.

In statements to Europa Press, Zaplana has indicated that he sees himself "in the obligation and moral necessity" to request that the former socialist leader, sentenced to six years in jail for the crimes of prevarication and embezzlement, not have to go to prison.

It so happens that Zaplana remained in provisional prison for nine months for his accusation in the 'Erial case', after being arrested in May 2018, despite the fact that his defense requested other less harmful measures for his state of health, given He says he had leukemia.

Although the procedural moments of Griñán and Zaplana are different, the former already has a conviction confirmed by the Supreme Court and the latter is pending trial, there is indeed a certain similarity since both suffer from severe illnesses that require treatment that cannot always be dispensed with. the best way in a prison.

In this regard, Zaplana has indicated that "prison is not a place where they can be treated depending on what type of illness" and recalls that in February 2023 it will be four years since he left the provisional prison, where he spent those nine months "without being court" and with forensic reports that his state of health "was incompatible with his stay in prison.

He recalls that at that time "various people of different political persuasions denounced this situation and unsuccessfully asked for sensitivity" to that situation.

Zaplana only obtained provisional release in February 2019 when the investigating judge in the case understood that the procedures that had been carried out guaranteed that the risk of flight had been reduced.

"Today, I see myself in the obligation and in the moral need to ask that neither José Antonio Griñán nor anyone else, in the same situation, have to go to prison. Justice loses its meaning when it forgets humanitarian reasons," he reiterated.

Griñán is now awaiting the decision of the Seville Court on his request to suspend the requirement of voluntary admission to prison alleging a serious illness that occurred.

The defense request came after the First Section of the Hearing dismissed a last plea appeal, and in the brief it argued that it is possible to order the suspension of the deprivation of the prison sentence without any requirement in the event that the prisoner is afflicted with "a very serious illness with incurable conditions".

This latest movement by Griñán's lawyers also occurs after the former Deputy Minister of Employment Agustín Barberá, also convicted, put forward similar arguments and the Court agreed to temporarily suspend the execution of his prison sentence.