Greece’s Golden Dawn members set to stand trial

Dozens of people linked to Greece’s far-right Golden Dawn party are set to appear in court on charges ranging from running a criminal organization to murder and possession of weapons.

Members of the ultra-nationalist party will go on trial on Monday at a special courthouse in Korydallos, Greece's biggest high-security prison, located in the capital Athens.

Party chief Nikos Michaloliakos and 68 others, including lawmakers and police officers, are among the defendants, who will face a panel of three judges in the trial that is expected to last for months.

"This is Greece's biggest trial in 40 years. It will last at least 18 months. There will be gatherings by anti-fascist groups and Golden Dawn supporters," Korydallos mayor Stavros Kasimatis told AFP ahead of the trial.

Most of the defendants face charges of membership of a criminal organization, while others are accused of murder, conspiracy to murder, racist violence, and possession of arms.

State prosecutors have accused Golden Dawn of running a criminal group that allegedly encouraged the beating and the killing of political opponents and migrants.

Golden Dawn, however, has dismissed the accusations as politically motivated.

The party is particularly accused of being involved in the 2013 murder of Pavlos Fyssas, a 34-year-old anti-fascist rapper.

The incident triggered a crackdown on the anti-immigrant party and a wave of protests across Greece, leading to the arrest of Michaloliakos and some other Golden Dawn members.

Described by scholars and media as neo-Nazi and fascist, the party which has seen its support rising over the past years, came third in Greece’s January 25 elections with 6.3 percent of the votes.

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