The Greek prosecutor in the trial of the criminal organization Golden Dawn proposed that the jail sentences of up to 13 years imposed on its leaders last week should be suspended.
Only Giorgos Roupakias, sentenced to life for the murder of musician Pavlos Fyssas, should be going to prison, according to the recommendations of prosecutor Adamantia Economou.
Economou said the court should accept their requests for a suspended sentence, citing reasons such as their fixed address, their strict observance of the restrictions already imposed on them and their lack of preparations to flee, meaning they are not a flight risk.
She also noted that there was no evidence that they had committed additional offenses and that most have no previous criminal record.
If accepted by the court, the proposal means that the leadership of Golden Dawn, who were convicted of running a criminal organization, will not go to prison until their appeal is tried.
Last week, Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos and five other leading members, including Christos Pappas, Ilias Kasidiaris, Ioannis Lagos, Giorgos Germenis, and Ilias Panagiotaros, received 13 years in prison. Artemis Matthaiopoulos was given a slightly lower sentence of 10 years.
Shorter prison sentences of five to seven years were imposed on other members of the party accused only of being members of a criminal organization.