ATHENS – Lawyers representing victims of the Greek neo-Nazi group Golden Dawn sharply criticized a recent court decision granting parole to former party leader Giorgos Michaloliakos, alleging preferential treatment within the Greek penal system. The ruling, issued on September 13, 2024, allows Michaloliakos temporary release from prison, a decision prosecutors are now being urged to challenge.
The controversy underscores ongoing concerns about the enduring threat of extremist ideologies in Greece, even as Golden Dawn has been officially outlawed. Michaloliakos, convicted in 2020 as the head of a criminal association, began serving a 13-year sentance for charges including orchestrating attacks on migrants and political opponents. His release, briefly enacted in May 2024 before being overturned, has ignited accusations of “long-standing favoritism” in his treatment compared to other inmates, according to his legal adversaries.
prosecutors have the power to appeal the parole decision, perhaps extending Michaloliakos’s incarceration. He has completed approximately half of his original sentence, but further appeals could increase the total time he serves.
the lawyers’ statement warned of “risky conditions” stemming from the continued existence of Golden Dawn’s ideology under alternative organizational names. They also called for public participation in planned anti-fascist demonstrations, signaling a renewed effort to counter extremist movements in Greece.