Nikos Michaloliakos, the leader of the extreme-right Golden Dawn party was sentenced to 13 years in prison by a Greek court on Wednesday. He received the near-maximum sentence of 15 years foreseen for running a criminal organization linked with hate crimes.
Five more former party MPs also received the same sentence of 13 years in prison for running a criminal gang.
Party member Yiorgos Roupakias was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, an anti-fascist rapper, and 10 years more in prison for participating in a criminal group.
The verdict comes only four days after the court ruled the party a criminal organization.
Its 18 former MPs were found guilty of running or participating in a criminal organization.
On Wednesday, seven more former party MPs also received their sentences.
The 5-year-long trial involved 68 defendants in four related cases.
They included the killing of rapper Pavlos Fyssas in 2013, attacks on Egyptian fishermen in 2012, attacks on left-wing activists in 2013, and charges that the party operated as a criminal organization.
Golden Dawn was founded in 1985, often described as neo-nazi and fascist. Following the 2008 financial crisis, in 2012 it entered the Greeek parliament. It got parliamentary seats in four elections until 2019.
