Holocaust Denier Irving Will Be Released on Probation

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The New York Sun

VIENNA, Austria — British author David Irving, imprisoned 13 months on charges of denying the Holocaust, will be released to serve the rest of his three-year sentence on probation, a court ruled yesterday, and the government prepared to deport him.

Vienna’s Upper State Court granted Irving’s appeal and converted two-thirds of his sentence into probation, vice president and spokesman for the court, Anton Sumerauer, said.

Mr. Irving, 68, has been taken from prison to a police detention center, a spokesman for Austria’s Justice Minister, Christoph Poechinger, said.

Mr. Poechinger told the Austria Press Agency that Mr. Irving would be released once he could show that he would promptly leave the country, such as by producing a plane ticket.

Mr. Irving was spending the night in a detention facility and was going to be escorted to the airport today by police to fly home to London, Mr. Irving’s wife, Bente Hogh, said after speaking to him by telephone.

“He sounded like he was in good form,” she said. “He’s obviously very pleased to be free.”

She said he planned to hold a news conference Friday night in London.

Herbert Schaller, Mr. Irving’s lawyer, said he hoped his client would be on a plane to England sometime yesterday but noted that no definite arrangements had been made.

Mr. Schaller said Mr. Irving wouldn’t be allowed back in Austria.

When the verdict was announced, Mr. Irving said, “Your Honor, thank you,” according to APA.


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