Golden Dawn trial judge asks for lawyers’ strike to be waived
The judge in the trial of Golden Dawn members in connection with the 2013 killing of rapper Pavlos Fyssas urged the Athens Bar Association (DSA) to allow its members to take part in the case despite a lawyers’ strike.
Maria Lepenioti made the plea a day after Supreme Court president Vassiliki Thanou issued an identical call.
Both sets of lawyers said they had asked for special dispensation to take part in the trial but that DSA refused.
Prosecution lawyers said they have appealed the decision and that the association’s administrative board is due to issue a final verdict on Wednesday.
On Monday, Thanou said the DSA and the Justice Ministry, which has failed to find a venue where the trial can be held on a daily basis, were to blame for the hearing taking so long that the main suspect, Golden Dawn member Giorgos Roupakias, is set to be released from pretrial custody on March 18.
