Athens ( CNN ) -- The leader of Greece 's extreme-right Golden Dawn party , Nikos Michaloliakos , is being held in custody after appearing in court Wednesday , the state-run Athens News Agency reported . Michaloliakos is being held at Athens Police headquarters until it 's decided which jail will house him , the agency reported . He gave a deposition to a Greek court on Wednesday that lasted until the early hours of Thursday morning in Athens , it said . He faces charges of running a criminal organization following the slaying of an anti-fascist musician last month . There was a heavy police presence outside the court in Athens ahead of Michaloliakos ' appearance . Three other Golden Dawn lawmakers who have already appeared in court -- Elias Kassidiaris , Elias Panagiotaros and Nikos Mihos -- were released Wednesday pending trial . A fourth , Ioannis Lagos , remains in custody . The arrests of the lawmakers , along with those of a number of party supporters , were part of a weekend police crackdown that followed a controversial stabbing death . It is the first time since the restoration of democracy in 1974 , after a seven-year junta , that a party leader and members of Parliament have been arrested . Pavlos Fyssas , a popular anti-fascist figure and well-known hip-hop artist with the stage name Killah P , was the victim of a knife attack that was allegedly committed by a Golden Dawn supporter . Kassidiaris denied his party 's involvement in Fyssas ' death , calling it a `` heinous crime . '' The singer 's death has nevertheless led to renewed calls to ban Golden Dawn , which holds 18 of Parliament 's 300 seats . The Greek constitution does not allow for political parties to be banned , however , and the arrested lawmakers will retain their parliamentary seats unless they are convicted of a crime . In 2012 , Golden Dawn rode a wave of dissatisfaction among some Greeks -- spurred by internationally imposed austerity measures amid the country 's deep financial crisis -- to win 7 % of the vote and gain seats in Parliament for the first time . The ultranationalist , anti-immigration party has been linked by critics to street violence and neo-Nazism . CNN 's Christine Theodorou contributed to this report .
NEW : Police hold Nikos hostage after court appearance . Michaloliakos , the Golden Dawn party leader , is accused of forming a criminal organization . Three other Golden Dawn members are free pending trial ; one remains in prison . They were arrested in a police crackdown after the killing of an anti - fascist musician .