Former Golden Dawn deputy leader Ilias Kasidiaris is seeking early release from prison, awaiting a decision on his second request for parole.

Kasidiaris, who was sentenced to 13 years for leading the neo-Nazi group, claims he has completed the required portion of his sentence to be eligible for parole under Greek law. However, he has only served one-third of his actual sentence, with two-fifths counting as “virtual time” for prison work.

Despite his first application being denied, Kasidiaris persists with his plea, facing opposition from the prosecutor’s office highlighting the severity of his crimes and ongoing appeals. His defense argues against the presumption of innocence violation, appealing to the European Court of Human Rights.

Currently on temporary release until October 24, Kasidiaris attended the trial of Spartiates party officials accused of election fraud related to Golden Dawn.