The prosecutor in the Golden Dawn trial has rejected all requests for mitigating circumstances for the 27 defendants convicted of participating in or directing a criminal organization—none of whom received such leniency in the first instance. In her submission, Kyriaki Stefanatou urged the appellate court not to recognize any mitigating factors for those convicted—on appeal—for membership or leadership roles in the Golden Dawn criminal organization, including the murderer of anti-fascist rapper Pavlos Fyssas, Giorgos Roupakias; his accomplices; and five individuals convicted of the attempted murder of Egyptian fisherman Abuzid Embarak.
Lagos Launches Verbal Attack on Judges
True to form, former Golden Dawn MEP and convicted leader Giannis Lagos—who is present in court—responded with a sharp verbal assault against the judges and the prosecutor. ‘Keep humiliating yourselves until the very last day… Keep up the theatre… How much lower will you go?’ he shouted during proceedings.
Prosecutor Highlights Defendants’ Criminal Histories
In her remarks, the prosecutor underscored that Golden Dawn’s leader, Nikos Michaloliakos, has demonstrated unlawful conduct since as early as 1979. Regarding Anastasios Pantazis—the so-called ‘commander’ of the Perama branch—she noted prior convictions for bodily harm, desertion from military service, and tax evasion. Another convicted defendant also carries a prior conviction for assault. For the remaining defendants, Stefanatou stressed that a clean criminal record alone is insufficient grounds for mitigation—particularly in crimes against life. ‘Committing racially motivated crimes requires brazenness,’ she concluded.
Only 13 Out of 42 Received Mitigation Initially
In the first-instance trial, only 13 of the 42 defendants were granted mitigating circumstances. Should the appellate judges adopt the prosecutor’s recommendation to deny mitigation across the board, higher sentences could be imposed—and some defendants may face return to, or entry into, prison for the first time.
Focus Turns to 12 Defendants Facing Potential Sentence Increases
Attention now centers on whether the five appellate judges will increase penalties for 12 defendants, against whom the prosecution filed an appeal after the initial verdict. These include the seven individuals convicted as members of the organization’s directorate: Nikos Michaloliakos, Ilias Kasidiaris, Giannis Lagos, Christos Pappas, Giorgos Germenis, Ilias Panagiotaros, and Artemis Matthaiopoulou. With the exception of Matthaiopoulou, all were initially sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment. Following the prosecution’s appeal, they now face the statutory maximum penalty of 15 years.
Should the court uphold the maximum sentence, several of these individuals—including Michaloliakos, Kasidiaris, and Lagos—could be ordered back to prison. All but Lagos and Kasidiaris have already been released after serving three-fifths of their original sentences. Currently, only Lagos, Kasidiaris, and Roupakias remain incarcerated: Roupakias is serving a life sentence for the premeditated murder of Pavlos Fyssas.
The same risk applies to the five defendants convicted of attempting to murder Abuzid Embarak. They were initially sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven to ten years.