Eduardo Santos Itoiz

I have a degree in Law from the University of Navarra. A practising lawyer since 1996, I have worked in criminal mediation in Navarre (2005-2014) and participated in proceedings between victims and former members of ETA (2010-2014). I was an associate professor of Criminal Law (2007-2014) and a deputy in Congress (2015-2019), where I was spokesperson in the Justice Commission. As Minister of Migration Policies and Justice of Navarre (2019-2023), I promoted the Restorative Justice Law, along with other restorative legislation. I have been an advisor to the Generalitat of Catalonia and, now, I'm the Secretary of the Council of Navarre and I'm trying to advance in my PhD in RJ. I have always been engaged with the EFRJ, first telling my experience as a policy maker and progressively taking part in meetings, trainings, and lately in the WG of Law and the Policy Committee. My implication with the EFRJ it´s getting deeper, and that is why I think taking responsibilities is the next logical step, if you consider it.

I think we must consolidate our position as a reference for restorative justice and try to lead and push forward public policies and legislation if possible in order to establish the access to restorative justice as a right in justice services in Europe. We have to maintain ourselves as a reference in the Academy, training, best practices and innovation.

Perhaps my experience as a policy maker. I like team work, too. I think we can achieve more goals listening to good ideas and trying to establish priorities (as we have limited resources).

I am very pleased to support Eduardo Santos Itoiz candidature to the Board of the EFRJ. I have come to know and appreciate his work across multiple domains: as a facilitator in restorative justice processes addressing violent extremism, as an academic, and as a policy maker, including his leadership of the Department of Justice of the Government of Navarra until 2023. He has played a key role in developing strategies for the regional implementation of restorative justice services and has also contributed to the advancement of Spanish legislation integrating restorative justice into criminal proceedings. Eduardo has consistently engaged with the EFRJ as a member of the WG on Law and of the Policy Committee, contributing to its visibility and development through academic, policy, and public initiatives, including recent collaboration with the RESTART Festival at the European Parliament. I am confident that his experience and commitment will meaningfully strengthen the EFRJ’s mission and impact.

It is difficult for me to be entirely objective when proposing Eduardo Santos Itoiz as a candidate for the EFRJ Board, since a deep friendship binds us, one that began when our life paths crossed through restorative justice. Eduardo is a person of integrity and word, profoundly and personally committed to social justice, reintegration, and the dignity of victims. For him, restorative justice is not only a field of work but also a theoretical framework and collaborative network that gives meaning to his restorative way of understanding life and relationships. Eduardo combines three profiles that make him an exceptionally suitable candidate for the Board: facilitator, policymaker, and academic. As a facilitator, he has been a teacher and a companion to many of us, notably participating as one of the mediators in the restorative encounters between victims and former members of ETA in 2011–2012.

Currently, I have the privilege of co-facilitating with him the Basque-Navarrese group within the “Encounter of Encounters” network. He served as a deputy for Navarre in the Spanish Congress during the 11th and 12th legislatures and as former Minister of Justice and Migration Policies of the Government of Navarra from 2019 to 2023. Eduardo also helped bring restorative justice principles into public policy, showing a strong ability to turn values into concrete institutional reform. In parallel, his ongoing work as a university professor and researcher gives him the academic rigor and reflective depth that support his initiatives. Eduardo’s contribution to the EFRJ has been consistent across these three levels: as practitioner, policy leader, and academic partner. Moreover, his experience and perspective embody the important shift of restorative justice development toward Southern Europe, which the Forum seeks to further strengthen. As a former Board member, I am convinced that Eduardo Santos Itoiz represents the kind of integrity, expertise, and inclusive vision that will enrich and inspire the future of the EFRJ

Email: eduardosantositoiz@gmail.com

Organisation, job title: Council of Navarre, Secretary