Forgiveness as a legal condition: a study of the uses of forgiveness in the Basque conflict

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dc.contributor.authorQuintana Domínguez, Idoia
dc.date.accessioned2026-08-17T05:50:43Z
dc.date.available2026-08-17T05:50:43Z
dc.date.issued2026-07-03
dc.date.updated2026-08-17T05:50:43Z
dc.description.abstractIn contemporary society, forgiveness has emerged in the public sphere in unprecedented ways: The contexts in which it is invoked have multiplied, and it is no longer regarded solely as a private act. Instead, forgiveness is now understood as a means to address past wounds, acknowledge victims’ suffering, and foster coexistence in societies marked by violence. Forgiveness thus represents a way of responding to harm, traditionally understood as distinct from and opposed to the punitive-legal framework. This article examines a specific effort to integrate forgiveness within legal logic. In 2003, the Spanish Penal Code introduced an explicit request for forgiveness to victims of terrorist crimes as a condition for sentence reduction. Through the study of this scenario, the paper explores how forgiveness has been employed by Spanish legislation in the context of the Basque conflict, highlighting the paradoxes that arise when it is framed within a punitive logic. Particular attention is given to the tension between the probatory demands placed on forgiveness and its inherently unverifiable nature. The article also analyzes the purported value of forgiveness as moral reparation for victims, emphasizing their lack of active participation in the process. Additionally, the role of forgiveness in restorative experiences within the Basque context is considered. Lastly, the article reflects on the tensions and contradictions that arise when forgiveness is shaped by probatory and procedural logics—paradoxes that cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the uncertainty and incalculability of forgiveness.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 894400en
dc.identifier.citationQuintana Domínguez, I. (2026). Forgiveness as a legal condition: a study of the uses of forgiveness in the Basque conflict. Punishment and Society, 28(3), 749-767. https://doi.org/10.1177/14624745251410458
dc.identifier.doi10.1177/14624745251410458
dc.identifier.eissn1741-3095
dc.identifier.issn1462-4745
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14454/6500
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherSAGE Publications Ltd
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2026
dc.subject.other(post-)conflict Basque context
dc.subject.otherLegal system
dc.subject.otherParadoxes of forgiveness
dc.titleForgiveness as a legal condition: a study of the uses of forgiveness in the Basque conflicten
dc.typejournal article
dcterms.accessRightsopen access
oaire.citation.endPage767
oaire.citation.issue3
oaire.citation.startPage749
oaire.citation.titlePunishment and Society
oaire.citation.volume28
oaire.licenseConditionhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
oaire.versionVoR
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