Greek court imposes jail terms on far-right Golden Dawn leaders

Greek court imposes jail terms on far-right Golden Dawn leaders

by Joseph Anthony
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Inside the courtroom where the Golden Dawn trial took place Athens, Greece, October 14, 2020. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis

The leaders of the far-right Golden Dawn, once Greeceā€™s third largest political party, were sentenced to prison on Wednesday for running a criminal gang linked with hate crimes during the countryā€™s worst economic crisis in decades.

Golden Dawn entered parliament for the first time in 2012 at the peak of the crisis on a fiercely anti-immigrant platform, tapping into Greeksā€™ anger over painful austerity measures and what many saw as a corrupt and cosy political establishment.
The court handed down 13-year jail terms to six former lawmakers, including Golden Dawnā€™s leader Nikos Mihaloliakos.
Other former lawmakers were sentenced to 5-7 years in prison for being members of a criminal group. The court will decide later this week if any of the sentences can be suspended.
Golden Dawnā€™s top figures were arrested in 2013, after the killing of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas by a party supporter prompted huge protests across Greece and led to a government crackdown on the party. Police found unlicensed weapons and Nazi flags in the homes of party members.
On Wednesday, the court also imposed a life sentence and 10 year in jail to Golden Dawn member Yiorgos Roupakias for the murder of Fyssas.
REUTERS

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