Dozens of activists and politicians affiliated to the Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn are facing trial for criminal offences.

A state prosecutor produced a 700-page document last week which outlined the legal case against more than 50 key party members - in addition to the 16 MPs who are currently in custody pending trial.

The members named in the indictment are accused of using the far-right group as a front to pursue a swathe of illegal activities.

The dossier accused the suspects of murder and weapons offences, as well as attacks on immigrants, left-wingers and gay people.

Petros Constantinou, a member of the anti-fascist group Antarsya, whose supporters have been widely targeted by the extremists, told the Guardian: "This is an extremely important development and no time should now be wasted in holding this trial and putting these criminals away for life."

The move to prosecute the organisation, whose leaders openly applaud Adolf Hitler, was initiated after a senior member stabbed a left-wing rapper to death in Athens last year.