The Lamia Court of Appeal granted Michaloliakos release on health grounds. He will serve the remainder of his 13-year sentence under house arrest at his home in Pefki, with restrictive conditions including monthly reporting to his local police station for three years.
The ruling coincides with the 12th anniversary of the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, who was stabbed to death on 18 September 2013 by Giorgos Roupakias, a Golden Dawn member.
Magda Fyssa: “The fascists outside, the solidarity inside”
Magda Fyssa, mother of Pavlos, expressed outrage at the decision:
“Do you know how many things come to mind that I can’t put into words? This is Greek justice. The fascists are free, the progressive allies jailed. What else can I say? I’m too angry.”
Papadakis: “A challenge to society and the anti-fascist movement”
Civil lawyer Kostas Papadakis, who represented Egyptian fishermen attacked by Golden Dawn, condemned the ruling as “a challenge to society and the anti-fascist movement”. He noted that Michaloliakos has not actually been incarcerated for three years, as he was continuously hospitalised or placed in a rehabilitation centre in Athens.
Papadakis highlighted the contrast between the “privileged treatment” given to the neo-Nazi leader and the indifference shown to other prisoners with serious health conditions. He reminded that a previous release granted in May 2024 was overturned by the Lamia Court of Appeal, which then ruled that Michaloliakos “remains dangerous even in prison”.
Although he has only served half of his 13-year sentence, the prosecutor’s appeal, which could increase his penalty, is still pending. Papadakis stressed that civil lawyers cannot challenge the release and urged the prosecutor to appeal the decision. He said:
“The fight against fascism continues, inside and outside the courts.”
Fyssas family lawyers: “Favourable treatment of the far right and Nazism”
The lawyers representing the Fyssas family described the decision as “scandalous” and “an insult to the collective memory of democratic society”. In a joint statement, they warned:
“The release of Nikos Michaloliakos scandalously marks the 12th anniversary of the murder of Pavlos Fyssas. The message is clear: favourable treatment of the crimes of the far right and Nazism. The criminal organisation has not been eliminated, but continues.”
The lawyers criticised the “selective sensitivity” of the courts, stating:
“The invocation of humanity could be convincing if it were applied to all prisoners – not just to those long treated with privilege by the state apparatus.”
They underlined that Golden Dawn, though outlawed, maintains continuity under new names and forms, and that freeing its leaders creates dangerous conditions for Greek society and democracy.
The statement, signed by lawyers Theodoros Theodoropoulos, Chrysa Papadopoulou, Eleftheria Tombatzoglou, Marina Daliani, and Argyris Syrigos, concluded:
“We expect the country’s highest judicial bodies to rise to the occasion and ensure that justice is fully served.”
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