Thread by @GDWatch_EN

Today the #GoldenDawn trial sits for its 457th hearing. The court is expected to decide on whether there are grounds for recognising mitigating circumstances. After this decision, the prosecutor will submit her proposal for sentencing.

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The defence lawyers will then be afforded an opportunity to respond to these sentencing proposals. The court is expected to hand down sentences later today, possibly tomorrow. The court will then decide on suspending sentences and the opportunity for appeal.

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The court will sit from 10am local time.

The sitting commenced at 10:14. Nine defendants are present:

Aggos
Barekas
Chatzidakis
Kalaritis
Kazantzoglou
Korkovilis
Michalaros
Tsalikis

Sitting MEP Ioannis Lagos is also present.

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Court accepts mitigation pleas from 7 defendants on grounds they were u-25 when crimes were committed.

Involved in assault on Egyptians
Agriogiannis
Evgenikos
Marias
Papadopoulos

Involved in murder of Fyssas
Anadiotis

Involved in attack on Pame
Chatzidakis
Chrysafitis

Court accepts migration pleas from 2 defendants implicated in the Fyssas murder on the basis of prolonged good behaviour since the deed, including in detention.

Dimou
Skalkos

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Court accepts mitigation plea for former MPs

Nikos Michos for "sincere repentance"

and

Michail Arvanitis-Avramis (clean record until crime)

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Court also accepts migration pleas for good behaviour since deed from former MPs

ChrysovalantisAlexopoulos
and
Stathis Boukouras

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And that concludes the court decision on mitigation pleas.

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Sitting MEP Ioannis Lagos wishes to submit an "exemption application" to the court on the basis of political interference in the court by PM Mitsotakis, who violated the presumption of innocence. He has appointed a new lawyer, Konstantinos Plevris, who will explain his argument.

The court has adjourned to await the arrival of Lagos' new defence lawyer, Plevris.

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To explain: because court has not accepted mitigation pleas from the Golden Dawn leaders found guilty of running the criminal gang (Michaloliakos, Lagos, Kasidiaris, Germenis, Mattheopoulos, Panagiotaros, Pappas), they now face 5-15 years' imprisonment.

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Back to the trial: the sitting has resumed and is hearing from Konstantinos Plevris, the new defence for Ioannis Lagos MEP. Plevris' basic argument is that behaviour around trial has contravened European Convention on Human Rights on presumption of evidence.

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Court adjourns following Plevris' intervention without indicating when the judges will return.

14:37: Court resumes, under a new presiding judge, Maria Simitzi Vetoula. She was to consider the Lagos' application (see above) but has recused herself from the case as she was an investigator in the case.

Court adjourns again for an unspecified time.

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15:04: Court resumes.

The prosecutor, Adamantia Oikonomou, calls on Lagos' application to be rejected as no facts were submitted to the court in support of it.

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Another adjournment as the civil action lawyers request to speak on Lagos' application. The prosecutor disagrees with the civil action's request and court adjourns to consider it.

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Court resumes at 15:38. Rules that civil action cannot participate in Lagos' application. Lagos' lawyer Plevris again addresses the court, claiming the trial was one "of ideologies".

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Court adjourns again 16:06 and is scheduled to resume after 17:10 to continue to deal with the exemption request submitted by Plevris, Lagos' lawyer.

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18:57: sitting resumes, with the court consisting of appeals judges Athanasia Apostolopoulou (presidting), Anna Kalatzi and Pagona Panagiotou.

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The new panel of judges rejects defendant Lagos' application for an exemption, so trial will resume under the presidency of Judge Maria Lepenioti, tomorrow at 11:00.

Court adjourns.

Neither Lagos nor his lawyer, Plevris, were in the courtroom to hear the decision.

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