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.
στο Google News και μάθετε πρώτοι όλες τις ειδήσειςLatest News
EU Condemns Trump Tariffs, Prepares to Retaliate
As tensions escalate, the EU is expected to continue negotiations with Washington while preparing for potential economic retaliation.
The Likely Impact of Trump Tariffs on Europe and Greece
Trump tariffs are expected to negatively affect economic growth in the Eurozone while Greece's exports could take a hit.
Motor Oil Results for 2024: Adjusted EBITDA of 995 mln€; Proposed Dividend of 1.4€ Per Share
Adjusted EBITDA for 2024 was down 33% yoy. The adjusted profit after tax for 2024 stood at 504 million euros, a 43% decrease from the previous year
Cost of Living: Why Greece’s 3% Inflation Is Raising Alarm
Greece appears to be in a more difficult position when it comes to price hikes, just as we enter the era of Trump’s tariffs.
Fitch Ratings Upgrades the Four Greek Systemic Banks
NBG’s upgrade reflects the bank’s ongoing improvements in its credit profile, Fitch notes in its report, including strong profitability, a reduction in non-performing exposures (NPEs), and lower credit losses
Trump to Announce Sweeping New Tariffs Wednesday, Global Retaliation Expected
With Trump's announcement just hours away, markets, businesses, and foreign governments are bracing for the fallout of one of the most aggressive shifts in U.S. trade policy in decades.
Inflation in Greece at 3.1% in March, Eurostat Reports
Average inflation in the eurozone settled at 2.2%, compared to 2.3% in February
Greece’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 8.6% in February
Despite the overall decline, unemployment remains higher among women and young people.
Jerry Kalogiratos Highlights Key Role of Energy Transition and Data Demand in LNG Outlook
Energy transition and the prospects of LNG were discussed at Capital Link’s 19th Annual International Maritime Forum, during a panel discussion with Jerry Kalogiratos (Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp.)
Santorini Safe and Ready for a Dynamic Tourism Season
Authenticity, cultural heritage, and genuine experiences at the center of Santorini's new promotional campaign
![ΕΛΣΤΑΤ: Αυξήθηκε η οικοδομική δραστηριότητα κατά 15,6% το Δεκέμβριο [πίνακες]](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DSC9655-2-1024x569-1-90x90.jpg)
