Leaders of the Neo-Nazi party have been sentenced to prison for running a criminal gang. The ruling is the culmination of a trial that has been described as one of the most important in Greece's political history reports DW.

A Greek court on Wednesday handed a 13-year jail term to the leader of the neo-Nazi group Golden Dawn, Nikos Michaloliakos, for running a criminal organization under the guise of a political party.

Six other former senior members were sentenced between 10 and 13 years on similar charges, and 11 former Golden Dawn lawmakers were sentenced to between five and seven years in prison for being members of a criminal group.

Golden Dawn has been blamed for organizing multiple, violent attacks targeting immigrants and left-wing activists. Most were carried out in Athens. 

The landmark ruling is the culmination of a five-year court case that involved more than 50 defendants convicted of crimes ranging from illegal weapons possession, murder and assault./DW