Greece: Golden Dawn deputy leader evades arrest as others head to prison

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Christos Pappas, the former deputy leader of Golden Dawn, has gone on the run to evade a 13-year prison sentence handed down against him. He is one of six former leaders of the far-right party sentenced to 13 years in prison; others have received lesser or suspended sentences. Thirty-eight of the 50 people convicted face prison.

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Golden Dawn deputy leader evades arrest after jail sentence (The Guardian, link):

"A Greek neo-Nazi ideologue and deputy leader of the Golden Dawn party has evaded arrest Friday as dozens of fellow members headed to prison following a group conviction.

Christos Pappas, whose father played a key role in a 1967 military coup, has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for his role in running Golden Dawn as a criminal organisation.

His lawyer on Friday said he would not turn himself in, and a search of at least five homes linked to Pappas has failed to locate him, state TV ERT said."

Golden Dawn leaders go to jail (Kathimerini, link):

"According to the decision, which was announced by presiding judge Maria Lepenioti, 38 of the 50 people convicted of belonging to the crime syndicate will go to jail with only 12 – including five former MPs – getting the suspensions they had requested.

(...)

Magda Fyssa, the mother of murdered leftist musician Pavlos Fyssas, told reporters that she felt vindicated by the court, which also sent GD member Giorgos Roupakias to life plus 14 years for that crime."

And: Greek court imprisons far-right Golden Dawn party leadership (Al Jazeera, link):

"A Greek court has ruled to imprison the leadership of the far-right Golden Dawn party following their convictions for running the party like a criminal organisation but granted suspended sentences to five of the party’s 18 former legislators who were convicted of lesser charges.

The decision by a three-judge panel on Thursday came after two weeks of summations by defence lawyers following the prosecutor’s recommendation that all former Golden Dawn legislators be allowed to remain free pending appeal. The appeals process could take several years.

The judges rejected a request to suspend the sentences of party leader Nikos Michaloliakos and other former legislators who were convicted of leading a criminal organisation.

Michaloliakos and another five former legislators received 13-year prison sentences, while a sixth was sentenced to 10 years."

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