Dimitris Koukoutsis

Two former lawmakers of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn denied on Thursday that they or the party had any links to Nazism or hate speech.
The two men, Artemis Matthaiopoulos and Dimitris Koukoutsis, testified in the ongoing trial of Golden Dawn's party leaders, who are accused of running a criminal organization.

Golden Dawn lost an MP Saturday after Dimitris Koukoutsis declared himself an independent, reducing the far-right party's representation in the 300-seat Parliament to 17 seats from 18.

Golden Dawn MP Michalis Arvanitis was released by magistrates on Friday on the condition that he does not engage in any hate speech.

He is the first of the far-right party’s lawmakers to be granted this form of conditional release.

Former Golden Dawn MP Stathis Boukouras refused to answer magistrates’ questions on Monday when he faced them on charges of illegally possessing weapons.

Boukouras is reported to have said he was not in the right frame of mind to respond to questions. He claimed to have attempted to have killed himself twice while in pre-trial custody.

Stathis Boukouras, the MP who left Golden Dawn earlier this year, is due to face magistrates today on charges of illegally possessing weapons.

Boukouras, who also faces charges of being part of a criminal organization, denies breaking the law.

Four Golden Dawn MPs who had their parliamentary immunity lifted so they could face charges of being part of a criminal gang were given more time on Monday to prepare themselves before facing magistrates.

An investigation into neofascist Golden Dawn has turned to the possible involvement of police officers in the party’s alleged criminal activities following a report submitted to the prosecutors handling the case by the internal affairs division of the Greek Police.

The magistrates heading the investigation into Golden Dawn’s alleged criminal activities may call the Neo-Nazi party’s MPs to make their depositions before Easter, sources have told Kathimerini.

Golden Dawn on Tuesday ousted one of its lawmakers, Stathis Boukouras (photo), from its parliamentary group, a move that will bring the number of seats the neofascist party holds in Parliament to 16 from 18 if Boukouras does not cede his seat to another GD candidate.