ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A leading member of Greece’s extreme right-wing Golden Dawn party has been arrested in Athens, nearly nine months after he disappeared before a court sentenced him to 13 years in prison.
Police said 59-year-old former lawmaker Christos Pappas was arrested late Thursday and had been living in an apartment registered under a different name.
Golden Dawn was founded as a Nazi-inspired organization in the 1980s. A fringe group for years, it saw a surge in popularity during a 2010-2018 financial crisis that caused hardship for millions of Greeks.
Other former lawmakers and senior officials of the party were jailed last October after a court ruled that it acted as a criminal organization.
Pappas had been released from pre-trial custody after the maximum 18-month period for which he could be held expired. He absconded shortly before the court verdict.
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