ThoughtCrime: 02/20/06
David Irving Sentenced to 3 Years in Austria
British historian David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison
after admitting that he had denied the Holocaust, a crime in Austria.
Irving pleaded guilty during the one-day trial.
According to reports from Austria Irving stated, "I made a mistake
when I said there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz." Irving
also said "I've never been a Holocaust denier, and I get very angry when
I'm called a Holocaust denier."
David Irving in handcuffs in Austria
denied his freedom to speak.
Irving's attorney, Elmar Kresbach said that he would appeal the
sentence, "I consider the verdict a little too stringent. I would
say its a bit of a message trial."
The State prosecutor, Michael Klackl declined to comment on the
verdict.
Irving has been in custody since he was arrested in November on
charges stemming from two speeches that he gave in Austria in 1989 in
which he was accused of Holocaust "denial."
The court convicted Irving after his guilty plea under the 1992 law
which applies to "whoever denies, grossly plays down, approves or tries
to excuse the National Socialist genocide or other National Socialist
crimes against humanity in a print publication, in broadcast, or other
media."
"Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death."
- George Orwell
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