Ioanna Klapa

Artemis Matthaiopoulos on Monday became the eighth Golden Dawn MP to be remanded in custody pending trial on criminal charges as magistrates leading a probe into the neofascist party prepare to summon another five legislators, including party leader Nikos Michaloliakos (photo), for additional testimony.

Two Golden Dawn deputies were on Friday scheduled to face two special magistrates leading a large-scale investigation on the activities of the ultra nationalist party. Antonis Gregos and Polyvios Zisimopoulos, both of whom face charges over participating and running a criminal organization, were set to give their depositions to Ioanna Klapa and Maria Dimitropoulou.

 Magistrates to hear MPs’ testimonies after leader’s objection rebuffed

The two magistrates leading a criminal investigation into Golden Dawn are set to resume hearing testimonies from MPs of the neofascist party on Wednesday after a judicial council rejected an appeal by detained GD leader Nikos Michaloliakos for them to be dismissed due to alleged bias.

A request for the dismissal of two special magistrates, Ioanna Klapa and Maria Dimitripoulou, who are leading a probe into the activities of ultra nationalist party Golden Dawn was rejected by an Athens court on Tuesday.

The request was filed by party leader Nikos Michaloliakos, currently in pre-trial custody over charges of organizing and managing a criminal organization.

The deposition by Golden Dawn lawmaker Artemis Matthaiopoulos scheduled for Monday has been postponed to June 30.

The extension was granted by special magistrates Ioanna Klapa and Maria Dimitropoulou who are leading an investigation into whether the neofascist party constitutes a criminal organization.

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.

Golden Dawn deputy Michalis Arvanitis was released from custody on Friday after facing the two magistrates investigating the party for alleged criminal activities.

The 72-year-old lawmaker for the ultranationalist party was ordered not to leave the country and banned from participating in party events outside Parliament.

The magistrates leading a criminal investigation into the neofascist Golden Dawn are to summon two former MPs, Stathis Boukouras and Chrysovalantis Alexopoulos, this week.

The Council of Appeals Court Judges on Tuesday rejected a request by Golden Dawn lawmaker Yiannis Lagos, who is in pretrial detention on a string of crime charges, for the dismissal of the two investigating magistrates who are leading a widening investigation into the neofascist party’s activities.

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.