The leader of the criminal organisation Golden Dawn, Nikos Michaloliakos, who had been sentenced to 13 years and six months imprisonment for his leadership of the nazi group "in the guise of a political party", is to be released on parole after a Lamia judicial council accepted his petition for early release with conditions.

Despite the public prosecutor's recommendation that Michaloliakos be denied parole, on the grounds that he has shown no real signs of remorse, nor any sign that he had repented of his actions or modified his views, the judges decided that the prisoner should be given the benefit of any doubts. They did not accept that articles written by Michaloliakos, which were presented by the public prosecutor to support his case, were an indication that he would reoffend if released.

Their ruling called for his release on condition that he remain within the Attica regional unit, appear in person at the Pefki police station where he lives once a month and does not consort with fellow defendants convicted in connection with the same case.

Under Michaloliakos' leadership, Golden Dawn was found to have orchestrated a series of violent criminal acts committed by its members, including an attack that led to the murder of rapper Pavlos Fyssas.