Pakistani Muslim worker shot in Greece’s Athens in suspected hate crime

A Pakistani Muslim worker has been shot in the head in Greece in a suspected hate crime ahead of a key appeals trial involving the notorious neo-Nazi group Golden Dawn.

Anti-racism group Keerfa said on Wednesday Ali Riaz, 26, had been repeatedly fired at by a passing taxi driver in central Athens as he and other Muslims were returning from prayers to mark the end of Ramadan.

Doctors later removed a pellet from his left temple, the group said.

“I did not see his face…but he was white,” Riaz told state TV ERT.

The incident that took place on Monday comes ahead of an appeals trial on June 15 involving dozens of members of the Golden Dawn group, formerly Greece’s third most popular party.

In a ruling in October 2020, Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos and nearly 60 other members were found guilty of participation in a criminal organization.