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Holocaust Denier Sentenced to Three Years

The right-wing British historian David Irving was sentenced to three years in prison this week after admitting to an Austrian court that he denied the Holocaust. Irving first pleaded guilty, and then insisted during his one-day trial that he now acknowledges the Nazis` World War II slaughter of 6 million Jews.

Before the verdict, Irving conceded he had erred in contending there were no gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Since the verdict was reached and sentence passed down, Irving has announced his intention to appeal. The case has brought to the forefront conflicting attitudes in Austria over the law that makes Holocaust denial a major crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Many have called for the law to be taken off the books, saying that it is not compatible with laws protecting freedom of expression. Others have said that such laws are necessary given the tendency in the past to attempt to try and pass off Austrians` role in the Holocaust as forced given the Anschluss in 1938 which united Germany with Adolf Hitler`s native Austria.