The trial of Greek political party Golden Dawn, which has now been ruled a criminal organization, reconvened before the Athens Court of Appeals on Friday with a brief statement by the prosecutor, Adamantia Economou.
The court is expected to reach a decision on the extenuating circumstances which will be admitted for each of the defendants in the Golden Dawn trial after it resumes on Monday, October 12 at 10 AM, and, barring unforeseen developments, to hand down the sentences afterward.
The prosecutor asked to be given the opportunity to reply to the severe criticism leveled at her on Thursday by the defense lawyers for the accused, over her recommendation that the court reject all extenuating circumstances bar one for the defendants.
“In yesterday’s session I came under strong attack from the lawyers of the defendants, despite the fact that my recommendation on their guilt was that they should be acquitted of running and joining a criminal organization. There were barbs over cowardice and change of course. In order that there should now be no shadows, I stick to my proposal, which I made in accordance with my conscience and the rules of law, Economou stated.
“The prosecutor, regardless of his or her proposal, is obliged to take the ruling into account, to adopt it and make recommendations in accordance with it. I was obliged, despite my recommendation, to make this proposal,” she explained to the court.
The sentencing portion of the trial resumed on Friday morning with a hearing of the final statements from the remaining lawyers representing the 65 defendants on trial. The court is expected to rule on the extenuating circumstances for the accused, after which it will announce the sentences.
The 456th session of the legal proceedings will be the most crucial for the defendants, as the court will rule on whether or not they will be sent straight to prison.
In a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, the Athens Court of Appeals delivered a guilty verdict for the seven members of Golden Dawn’s leadership, finding that they had formed and run a criminal organization “wearing the cloak of a political party” despite the prosecutor’s contrary recommendations.
Roughly 50 of the 65 individuals on trial were found guilty of either participating in or running a criminal organization.
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