ATHENS – A court decision to give early release from jail for the former head of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was denounced by the family of anti-Fascist hip-hop singer Pavlos Fyssas, who was killed by one of its members in 2013.

The court said that Nikos Michaloliakos, who was convicted of leading the criminal organization and serving a term of 13 ½ years met conditions for getting ought early because he’d served 60 percent of his sentence.

That includes pre-detention as the jail sentences for Michaloliakos, all the party’s former Members of Parliament and dozens of members didn’t begin until October, 2020. Golden Dawn member Giorgos Roupakis was convicted of killing Fyssas.

The singer’s family called the decision a “great offense” to Golden Dawn victims, which includes immigrants who were beaten, and to “Greek society as a whole,” as it came after leniency being given to six people convicted over charges related to deadly 2018 wildfires.

“While the trial of the appeal court continues and the victims of Golden Dawn fight for their vindication, the ruling of the judicial council tests their tenacity,” the family said in a statement issued by their lawyers.

“It is puzzling how such an unrepentant neo-Nazi criminal … whose Nazi ideology was the motive behind the criminal activities of Golden Dawn … was deemed by the Greek justice system as not likely to commit new criminal acts,” it added and called on the public prosecutor’s office to block the Council’s ruling.

The Lamia Court of Appeals Prosecutor intends to appeal the decision of the Lamia Misdemeanor Court to give parole to the defiant Michaloliakos, who had complained he was a political prisoner.

The release comes with restrictions, including a ban from leaving the Attica region, monthly appearance at the Peuki Police Station, and avoidance of contact with co-defendants. It wasn’t said if other Golden Dawn members would also be let out.

The Lamia Prosecutor’s appeal argued that Michaloliakos lacks genuine remorse and moral improvement for his crimes, evident in his unrepentant online posts claiming political persecution but the court said that wasn’t a crime and didn’t matter.