Greek ultra Right party chief to appear in court, other defendants released

Greece's ultra-Right Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avgi) party chief Nikos Michaloliakos was due to appear in court on Wednesday evening facing charges of forming and leading a criminal gang, as authorities continue the crackdown on neo-fascist extremism three weeks after the killing of a Leftist activist. Michaloliakos' testimony before a magistrate at Athens main court complex was scheduled shortly after three other senior party MPs, who had testified on Tuesday, were released pending trial on similar charges. A date has not been set yet. A fourth deputy remains in custody and the party's second in command is due to be formally indicted on Thursday. All defendants were arrested during a wide police operation launched on Saturday morning in an unprecedented case for a political party in the country since the end of the military junta in the 1970s. Over the past few days prosecutors are said to have built a strong case against Golden Dawn's leadership regarding Pavlos Fyssas' murder and previous violent attacks against political opponents and migrants. If convicted, the defendants face 10 to 20 years in prison sentences. They reject any involvement. The decision to free party spokesman Elias Kassidiaris and deputies Elias Panayotaros and Nikos Michos on Wednesday raised questions over the outcome of the legal proceedings. Local media commented that the development was a bad surprise. Law experts assured that it was a normal step. They noted the fact that the defendants were released on bail and are not allowed to leave the country, which indicates that there is substantial evidence against them. "The legal proceedings have just started... The united social and political front against Nazism is given," Greek government spokesperson Simos Kedikoglou commented in a statement. Exiting the court, the three Golden Dawn legislators verbally attacked journalists and slapped and kicked cameramen, shouting that the entire case is politically motivated ahead of next year's municipal elections because of their party's rising popularity. They would maintain their seats until final convictions under Greece's Constitution. Golden Dawn currently holds 18 seats. It entered the 300-member strong parliament for the first time in the 2012 general polls, riding on a wave of anger and frustration at the harsh austerity implemented to tackle a severe debt crisis and garnering seven percent of the votes. After the September 18 murder, Golden Dawn's popularity has sank amidst mounting calls for an end to neo-Nazi violence and a ban on the party.