Holocaust denier convicted

Alert DateApril 27, 2009 Country: Austria Address: Vienna General Type: Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Extremism - organised Racist Violence, Anti-semitism
Groups affected / Interested in: Religious minorities Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Political discourse -parties - orgs Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Public Discourse, Political Discourse
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Austrian
Perpetrator Gender Male
Perpetrator Age 56-65
Perpetrators Number 1
Extremist/Organised Group Violence Yes

On April 27th, 2009 Gerd Honsik was – after another conviction on grounds of Holocaust denial in 1992 – convicted of having glorified national socialistic thinking violating the Verbotsgesetz (Prohibition Statute) and was sentenced to five years in prison. The judgement is not final yet. Mr Honsik appealed the decision in order to reach annulment. However, also the public prosecutor – deeming the sentence of five years of imprisonment as not sufficient – appealed the judgment.

The Higher Regional Court Vienna reduced the sentenced to four years in prison.

In September 2009 Gerd Honsik was also convicted in the course of a second trial, again because of Holocaust denial. He was sentenced to two years in prison.

Mr. Honsik was released, on probation, due to his advanced age in September 2011.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerd_Honsik (Date of access: 2011-10-13), http://derstandard.at/1267131982257/Urteil-gegen-Honsik-um-ein-Jahr-reduziert (2010-03-01), http://derstandard.at/1282979270269/Wirre-Worte-vom-Holocaust-Leugner (2010-09-09), http://derstandard.at/1282979340190/Holocaust-Leugner-Honsik-auch-im-zweiten-Prozess-verurteilt (2010-09-09), http://diepresse.com/home/politik/innenpolitik/474374/index.do (2009-04-28).