British historian David Irving, facing charges of Holocaust denial in an Austrian court, is handcuffed as he talks to reporters in the courtroom yesterday. Irving, who was arrested when he visited Austria in November to give a speech at a meeting of a right-wing student fraternity, said he had changed his views and he did not question anymore that millions of Jews died in World War Two. - REUTERS
VIENNA (Reuters):
BRITISH HISTORIAN David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison for denying the Holocaust 17 years ago, an Austrian court ruled yesterday.
He was sentenced by a court of eight lay jurors and three judges in a case based on remarks he made in a 1989 interview and in speeches when he visited Austria, where denying the Nazi genocide on Jews is a crime.
Irving, who had argued in court that he had denied the Holocaust at the time but had since changed his views, said he would appeal the ruling.
"I'm very shocked," Irving said when he was leaving the courtroom. His lawyer said that he had already lodged an appeal. The prosecutor declined to comment before he had read the full verdict.
A sentence of three years cannot be suspended on parole in Austria, meaning Irving, who was arrested in Austria in November, would have to stay in prison if the ruling was confirmed by a higher court.
