Ioannis Lagos, who was detained in Brussels last month, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison in Greece over his membership of the banned Golden Dawn party.
ADVERTISEMENTGreek MEP and neo-Nazi Ioannis Lagos was brought to the Court of Appeal in Athens on Saturday following his extradition from Belgium.
The 48-year-old former nightclub bouncer and ex-member of the banned Golden Dawn party has already been convicted in Greece on several charges and been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Lago was detained in Brussels last month shortly after the European Parliament stripped him of his immunity. He has been held in a prison in the Belgian capital for almost two weeks.
Initially, Lagos had opposed his extradition but later agreed to be sent home to face jail.
Along with several other leading members of Golden Dawn, he was convicted on multiple charges including running a criminal organisation.
The prosecutor decided Lagos should be sent directly to Domokos prison in central Greece.
His lawyers, Kostas Plevris and Giannis Zografos, had earlier asked for him to be sent to Korydallos prison near Athens, so that he could more easily carry out his duties as an MEP.
"Greek democracy fought and eliminated the poison of the Golden Dawn party," Greek government spokeswoman Aristotelia Peloni said. "The rule of law stood firm against criminals. And justice gave its answer."
But she added: "A constant struggle is needed so that the democracy does not face such phenomena again."