On Wednesday, 20th December 2006, the Supreme Court in Vienna decided that author, historian and Holocaust denier David Irving was to be released from prison after serving one third of his sentence. Thus the court granted Irving’s appeal and reduced the remaining two thirds to a suspended sentence.
In November 2005, Irving was arrested because of remarks he had made at two lectures in that European country about 16 years ago, which were deemed to be denial of the Holocaust, and he has been in the Austrian prison ever since his arrest. In February 2006, an Austrian court convicted him and sentenced him to three years in prison. Irving appealed the sentence, and at the same time the Prosecution demanded a stiffer sentence since in Austria denying the Holocaust is a criminal offense and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
In November 2005, Irving was arrested because of remarks he had made at two lectures in that European country about 16 years ago, which were deemed to be denial of the Holocaust, and he has been in the Austrian prison ever since his arrest. In February 2006, an Austrian court convicted him and sentenced him to three years in prison. Irving appealed the sentence, and at the same time the Prosecution demanded a stiffer sentence since in Austria denying the Holocaust is a criminal offense and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
by Dana Zimmermann,
20th November 2006
CFCA Comment: There is something more than symbolic that one of the Patriarchs of the Holocaust deniers, who has come to symbolize the struggle against Holocaust deniers, has been granted early release from prison, precisely during the week in which the Holocaust deniers’ conference was held in Iran.
