Appeals court confirms prison sentences for Golden Dawn leadership and members

The Athens Five-Member Court of Appeals has issued its final decision regarding the criminal organization Golden Dawn, upholding the primary court sentences for most of the 42 defendants. Nikos Michaloliakos, Ilias Kasidiaris, Giannis Lagos, Christos Pappas, and Giorgos Germenis received 13-year prison sentences for directing a criminal organization. Giorgos Roupakias, convicted for the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, remains sentenced to life imprisonment plus ten years. The court granted mitigating circumstances to only five defendants, including Antonis Gregos and Dimitris Koukoutsis, while denying them for the majority. Eleni Zaroulia, wife of Nikos Michaloliakos, was sentenced to five years and ordered to prison after the court rejected her request to convert the sentence to a monetary fine. While some defendants received reduced sentences or suspended terms, many others are now facing immediate incarceration. The court proceedings concluded with strict conditions, including travel bans for those granted suspended sentences.