Holocaust denier Irving is jailed [Three years]

BBC News on line ^ | February 20, 2006 | Unsigned

[aculeus]

Intelligent of them to create martyrs for the neo-Nazis..

They should suspend the sentence and throw him out of Austria.

[DMZFrank]

The punishment being meted out to Irving is exponentially more dangerous and unjust in it's Orwellian implications than any absurd historical fabrication that led to his legal scourging.

[Conservative til I die]

The man sounds creepy, but there is something profoundly disturbing about being extradited from your home country and tried for an offense that was committed in your home country, that is not illegal there.

From the article, it indicates he was arrested for what he said while in Austria.

[aculeus]

The punishment being meted out to Irving is exponentially more dangerous and unjust in it's Orwellian implications than any absurd historical fabrication that led to his legal scourging.

Agreed.

[CA Conservative]

This has been a little to much, this last ten days- Richard Cheney and all.

Can I ask what Cheney has to do with this discussion?

[Peter Libra]

What has Richard Cheney to do with this discussion?

Nothing.

The stress of seeing a good man hounded unfairly left me mentally exhausted. Then the case of Irving. I feel drained thats all.

[MinuteGal]

I wonder if David Irving isn't of Jewish descent himself....one of those self-loathing types we hear about all the time....those who deny and betray their heritage.

Leni

[Swordmaker]

Besides being told directly by Zundel's Canadian counsel, I have heard it from Ingrid Rimland Zundel, Ernst's American wife. Also, here is an article on the decision and the rather convoluted reasoning the tribunal used:

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/articles/online_hate/tribunal_decision_98.cfm

[Petronski]

Breathtaking. I'm completely stunned and non-plussed.


But I'm also very confused as to the relevance of this bizarre rule to the Zundel case, because I cannot see how "truth of the statement" could be a defense to a Holocaust denier.


Truly bizarre.

[Swordmaker]

But I'm also very confused as to the relevance of this bizarre rule to the Zundel case, because I cannot see how "truth of the statement" could be a defense to a Holocaust denier.

Zundel requested permission to present evidence... he was denied on the grounds that even if his evidence were true, truth was not defense for speaking it. Zundel and his attorneys were not even allowed to see all of the "evidence" against him... or all of the charges he was accused of: they were "Secret".

[Petronski]

I suppose the Canadians believed Zundel intended to use his trial to present Holocaust denial rhetoric.

[aculeus]

I wonder if David Irving isn't of Jewish descent himself....one of those self-loathing types we hear about all the time....those who deny and betray their heritage.

Good question.