Greek parliament lifts Golden Dawn MPs' immunity

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/16/greek-golden-dawn-mps-immunity

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Greece's parliament has voted to lift the immunity of six MPs from the far-right Golden Dawn party, paving the way for a deeper investigation into accusations that the movement's members were involved in criminal offences.

The killing of a leftwing rapper on 17 September, which prosecutors said was carried out by a Golden Dawn supporter, triggered anti-fascist protests across the country.

Police started investigations into whether the party was involved in a string of violent attacks including the killing, and Greece's top court charged six Golden Dawn MPs last month with belonging to a criminal group.

On Wednesday, parliament overwhelmingly backed prosecutors' request to lift the immunity of two people from that group and four other Golden Dawn MPs.

As the September charges were made under a special court order that was only valid for 48 hours, lifting immunity would allow prosecutors to lay fresh charges against the named men.

Greek MPs are protected from prosecution and in most cases only parliament can lift their immunity if they are suspected of criminal activity.

Golden Dawn, Greece's third most popular party according to polls, has denied any wrongdoing, accusing the government of tactics not seen since the military junta more than four decades ago. Its parliamentary group abstained from Wednesday's vote.

"The thieves, crooks and those who destroyed the country and sold it off to foreign loan sharks are those who should stand trial," said Ilias Kasidiaris, a Golden Dawn spokesman. "We will not vote, we will abstain from this process."

The party rose from obscurity to enter parliament for the first time last year on an anti-immigrant and anti-austerity agenda. The party's banner features a swastika-like emblem and its leader has denied the Holocaust took place, but the group says it is not neo-Nazi.

Members of parliament in Greece do not lose their seats unless there is a final court ruling against them. If convicted of criminal association, the Golden Dawn MPs could face 10 years in jail.

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