Golden Dawn appeal trial: Wife of party leader among four sent to prison

Four years after the start of the appeal trial of the far-right party Golden Dawn, a Greek court has ordered the imprisonment of four convicted individuals who had not previously been detained during any stage of the proceedings.

Among them is former member of parliament Eleni Zaroulia, the wife of Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos. Zaroulia was sentenced to five years in prison for participation in a criminal organization.

The court also ordered prison sentences for three additional defendants: Giorgos Dimou, who received seven years for complicity in the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas and membership in a criminal organization; Konstantinos Papadopoulos, sentenced to seven years for attempted murder in the attack on Egyptian fishermen and for participation in a criminal organization; and Georgios Skalkos, who was given seven years for complicity in the killing of Fyssas and membership in the organization.

Of the 42 defendants in the case, 24 have already served their sentences and have been released on parole. For 11 other convicted individuals who had not served time, the court either converted their sentences into financial penalties or granted suspended sentences.

Meanwhile, the convicted murderer of Pavlos Fyssas, Giorgos Roupakias, remains in prison, along with former Golden Dawn lawmakers Ilias Kasidiaris and Ioannis Lagos.

Earlier, the court confirmed sentences for 32 defendants that were identical to those imposed in the original trial. These included members of the organization’s leadership and individuals convicted of involvement in the murder of Fyssas.

The judges reduced sentences for 10 defendants, including Zaroulia and three other former members of parliament. Zaroulia’s sentence was reduced from six years in the initial ruling to five years in the appeal decision. Notably, she was the only defendant to receive a reduced sentence without being granted any mitigating circumstances and had not spent a single day in prison before the ruling.

Leadership sentences and life imprisonment

The Five-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies sentenced Golden Dawn’s secretary-general, Nikos Michaloliakos, to 13 years in prison for directing a criminal organization. The same sentence was imposed on several senior figures of the party, including Ilias Kasidiaris, Ioannis Lagos, Christos Pappas, Giorgos Germenis, and Ilias Panagiotaros.

Another leading member, Artemis Matthaiopoulos, received a 10-year sentence.

In the case of the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, Giorgos Roupakias was sentenced to life imprisonment plus an additional 10 years.

The court also rejected requests for mitigating circumstances for 22 of the 27 convicted defendants, while five were granted leniency based on good conduct after the crimes.

The long-running case against Golden Dawn — which Greek courts have ruled operated as a criminal organization — has been one of the most significant judicial proceedings in Greece in recent decades, stemming from a series of violent attacks linked to the group, including the 2013 killing of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas.

Sentences announced in the Golden Dawn appeal trial

The court announced the following sentences for defendants convicted in the case involving the far-right party Golden Dawn.

Leadership of the criminal organization

Nikos Michaloliakos: 13 years in prison

Ilias Kasidiaris: 13 years in prison

Ioannis Lagos: 13 years in prison

Giorgos Germenis: 13 years in prison

Christos Pappas: 13 years in prison

Ilias Panagiotaros: 13 years in prison

Artemis Matthaiopoulos: 10 years in prison

Former Members of Parliament convicted of participation in the criminal organization

Nikos Michos: 5 years imprisonment

Efstathios Boukouras: 5 years imprisonment

Michalis Arvanitis: 5 years imprisonment

Antonis Gregos: 5 years imprisonment

Panagiotis Iliopoulos: 7 years in prison

Eleni Zaroulia: 5 years in prison

Polyvios Zisimopoulos: 6 years in prison

Kostas Barbarousis: 6 years in prison

Nikos Kouzilos: 7 years in prison

Dimitris Koukoutsis: 5 years imprisonment

Chrysovalantis Alexopoulos: 5 years imprisonment

Murder of Pavlos Fyssas

Giorgos Roupakias: Life imprisonment plus 10 years

I. Kazantzoglou: 10 years

I. Aggos: 9 years

A. Anadiotis: 7 years

Giorgos Dimou: 7 years

E. Kalaritis: 9 years

I. V. Komianos: 9 years

K. Korkovilis: 9 years

A. Michalaros: 9 years

Giorgos Patelis: 10 years

Georgios Skalkos: 7 years

G. Stabelos: 9 years

L. Tsalikis: 9 years

N. Tsorvas: 9 years

Attack on Egyptian fishermen

Anastasios Pantazis: 10 years

D. Agriogiannis: 7 years

M. Evgenikos: 6 years

Th. Marias: 6 years

Konstantinos Papadopoulos: 7 years

Membership in a criminal organization

Aris Daskalakis: 4 years imprisonment

N. Apostolou: 7 years

Chr. Chatzidakis: 4 years imprisonment

V. Popori: 6 years

G. Tsakanikas: 5 years

Source: AMNA