ATHENS – With Athens on edge, five years after the trial began, a verdict will be delivered Oct. 7 in the case against the neo-Nazi Golden party, whose leaders and dozens of members are charged with running a criminal gang and one accused of the murder of anti-Fascist hip-hop artist Pavlos Fyssas in 2013.

The party's hierarchy is accused of directing members to conduct assaults on migrants and other targets, including Communists, while it was in the Parliament before being narrowly ousted in July 7, 2019 snap elections.

The defendants often didn't appear in court and weren't compelled to show up despite the seriousness of the charges in a trial that took 453 sessions, 69 people accused and 130 prosecution witnesses.

The judges are also expected to give a verdict in the case of Golden Dawn member Giorgos Roupakias, accused of murdering the singer Fyssas, an act which began the party's downfall after a massive investigation began.

All the party’s former MPs have denied being involved in any criminal activity or that it followed a Nazi ideology even though Nazi documents and paraphernalia were found at many of their homes.

“The time for the ruling has come. October 7, 2020 at 11 a.m. Seven torturous years since the murder of Pavlos, for us there is no other option than the conviction of the entire leadership of Golden Dawn’s criminal organization,” the Fyssas family said in a statement when the trial finally ended on Sept. 4.

They asked for supporters to gather outside the courthouse when the judges will deliver their verdict that day.