![Golden Dawn appellate trial begins today](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/diki_2-2-768x576-1.jpg)
Six hundred and sixteen days after the historic first instance court decision, which had unanimously ruled that Golden Dawn is a criminal organization, the defendants will be re-tried at the appeals, after appeals by convicted former MPs and other defendants against the first decision.
On Wednesday, at 9.00 in the morning the judges of the Athens Five-Member Court of Appeals will appear in the ceremonial hall of the Athens Court of Appeals, the largest courtroom in Greece following a relevant request of prosecutors so the needs of all interested parties are met.
The trial of the case begins under completely different circumstances, since Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi) is no longer in parliament and with seven former MPs of the party convicted (Nikos Michaloliakos, Ioannis Lagos, Elias Kasidiaris, Christos Pappas, Elias Panagiotaros and Artemis Mattheopoulos) imprisoned after being convicted in the first trial for belonging to the “directorate” of the criminal organization.
Under these circumstances, victims of Golden Dawn and their families, as well as the lawyers of the civil lawsuit, will stage a second judicial battle that may also last a long time.
The family of 34-year-old musician Pavlos Fyssas, who was murdered by Golden Dawn member Giorgos Roupakias, had led then Justice Minister Nikos Dendias to combine all cases involving the party in one so that they could be tried as a criminal organization. Roupakias is currently serving a life sentence,
The reasoning of the first instance conviction
According to the decision of October 7, 2020, in addition to the leadership of Golden Dawn, whose members were found guilty of directing a criminal organization, 43 other defendants were convicted, including the 11 former MPs of the party, for joining a criminal organization and on a case by case basis. The rest were accused of committing very serious crimes (murder of Pavlos Fyssas and attempted murder of Egyptian fisherman Abuzid Ebarak).
Dozens of other crimes such as the murder of Pakistani worker Sahzat Lukman, the attempted murder of student Dimitris Kousouris, the attempted murders of members of PAME union, and members of the social center Antipnoia, etc, were judged to have been perpetrated by the criminal organization under directions of its leadership.
The judges, as described in detail in the 12,746 pages of their decision, opined that Golden Dawn was a criminal organization, rejecting the allegations and the defense arguments of all the accused and especially the members of the former parliamentary group of the party. It is these decisions the defendants are seeking to overturn.
Some of the wrongdoings the accused have been charged with have now become statute-barred due to time elapsed. The wager now is that no more of these misdeeds are written off because of statute of limitations expirations until the second instance decision is issued. However, already there are signs that the defendants will try to delay the process through juridical objections and other legal means, which the members of the court will have to rule on.
![ot.gr](/wp-content/themes/whsk_otgr/common/imgs/fav.ico/favicon-32x32.png)
![ot.gr](/wp-content/themes/whsk_otgr/common/imgs/fav.ico/favicon-32x32.png)
Latest News
![Cosco: Container Traffic Decline at Piraeus Port Continues](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/olp1-scaled-1-2048x1312-1-600x384.jpg)
Cosco: Container Traffic Decline at Piraeus Port Continues
This strategic shift has diminished Piraeus's standing as a prominent Mediterranean port and a key transshipment hub post-Suez Canal.
![Gov’t Eyes Return of Power Subsidies Amid Spike in Rates](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/power-lines-2048x1365-1-600x400.jpg)
Gov’t Eyes Return of Power Subsidies Amid Spike in Rates
According to reports, the government will resume an electricity subsidization program, given that forecasts cite disruptions – i.e. higher rates
![ELSTAT: 6.3% Increase in Output Price Index for Agriculture and Livestock](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ot_georg_PROIONTA_money-1-600x352.png)
ELSTAT: 6.3% Increase in Output Price Index for Agriculture and Livestock
The 6.3% rise in May 2024 is largely driven by an 8.8% increase in the crop output group, particularly due to changes in olive oil prices, and a 0.5% increase in the animal output group.
![Balkans Blackout Highlights Climate Threats to Power Grids](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/blackout-1-600x457.png)
Balkans Blackout Highlights Climate Threats to Power Grids
The surge in electricity demand during the heat wave and the power deficit in Balkan markets have driven up prices in the Greek wholesale electricity market.
![Greece in Top 4 Destinations Favored by European Tourists](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ploio-600x400.jpg)
Greece in Top 4 Destinations Favored by European Tourists
Greece was selected by 5.9% of respondents who were asked where they would vacation this year, up from 5.4% in the same survey last year
![Scope Affirms Greece’s BBB- Ratings; Revises Outlook to Positive](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/euros-2048x1365-1-600x400.jpg)
Scope Affirms Greece’s BBB- Ratings; Revises Outlook to Positive
The international ratings firm raised Greece to investment grade in early August 2023
![First Seaplane Test Flights to Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/hellenic-seaplanes-pilotikes-ptiseis-ydatino-pedio-lavriou-600x450.jpeg)
First Seaplane Test Flights to Skopelos, Alonissos, Skyros
After decades of on-again, off-again efforts to schedule regular seaplane routes to Greece's numerous island and coastal destinations the prospect now appears within sight
![ELSTAT- Overall Import Price Index for May 2024 up 2.8% y-o-y](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/unnamed-41.jpg)
ELSTAT- Overall Import Price Index for May 2024 up 2.8% y-o-y
The same price index had decreased 20.8% from May 2022 to May 2023
![Over 7 in 10 Employees Feel Their Contributions Are Not Appreciated](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ergasia-ergazomenos-600x300.jpg)
Over 7 in 10 Employees Feel Their Contributions Are Not Appreciated
Specifically, the option "Subjective opinions are prioritized over objective data" ranked highest in importance for young employees, with a score of 3.89 out of 4
![OECD: Job Vacancies on the Rise in Greece](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ergasiabusinness-768x556-1-1-600x434.jpeg)
OECD: Job Vacancies on the Rise in Greece
By the fourth quarter of 2023, job vacancies per unemployed person had risen by more than 4, with the index reaching 446 units compared to 100 units in late 2019