Elon Musk has questioned the continued imprisonment of former Golden Dawn spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris after reposting a message on X that claimed his detention raises concerns about freedom of political expression.
The billionaire owner of X and chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX shared a post by Norwegian right-wing activist Rebecca Mistereggen, who argued that Kasidiaris had demonstrated good behaviour in prison and that a prosecutor had recommended his release. She also criticised the court’s reported consideration of his continued political activity on X when assessing his release request, describing it as “a dangerous precedent.”
Musk responded with a brief comment: “This is messed up.”
Kasidiaris, 45, was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison in October 2020 after a landmark Greek court ruling found the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn organisation to be a criminal group operating under the cover of a political party.
The court concluded that senior Golden Dawn members directed a criminal organisation responsible for a series of violent attacks targeting migrants, political opponents and others. The case marked one of the most significant prosecutions of extremist political violence in modern Greek history.
Kasidiaris welcomed Musk’s intervention, describing it as an important statement in support of freedom of expression and political rights in Greece and across Europe.
The comments followed the rejection of another application for Kasidiaris’ conditional release. He has submitted several requests for early release in recent years. While a number of former Golden Dawn members have been released under strict conditions, Greek courts have repeatedly denied Kasidiaris’ applications, with reports indicating that his political activity while in prison has been among the factors considered.
Since acquiring X in 2022, Musk has increasingly used the platform to weigh in on political issues around the world, frequently commenting on elections, immigration, free speech and other controversial topics.