Supreme Court requests overturning of decision to release Golden Dawn figure

The Supreme Court called on Wednesday for a decision by a lower court to release a jailed Golden Dawn operative from jail while awaiting his appeal to be reversed.

Last month, an appeals court said Giorgos Patelis, onetime head of the Nikea branch of the criminal organization Golden Dawn, could be released pending his appeal. Patelis’ lawyers claimed that his teenage son had mental health problems.  

In October 2020, Patelis was sentenced to 10 years and 2 months’ imprisonment for participating in a criminal gang and for complicity in the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas. He had been released by a suspension appeals court after.

One of the Supreme Court’s criminal divisions will now rule whether Patelis needs to return to jail. It may order the appeals court to reexamine Patelis’ application for release, under new judges.

On Monday, the same appeals court that ordered Patelis’ release rejected a petition from three Golden Dawn prisoners for their release pending their appeal.