New trial ahead for convicted Holocaust denier Honsik
Infamous Holocaust denier Gerd Honsik is facing another trial after judges slashed his term earlier this year, it emerged today (Fri).Vienna prosecutors said they were considering pressing charges against the Austrian over the content of two of his books which they believe break the countrys strict anti-Nazi laws.Honsik was sentenced to five years in jail over spreading far-right ideology in his magazine “Halt!” before Viennas Higher Regional Court (OLG) reduced his prison term to four years last March.The 68-year-old was convicted of breaking laws against spreading Nazi ideology in his book “Freispruch für Hitler?” (Acquittal for Hitler?) and sentenced to a year and a half in prison in 1992, but fled to Spain, where he gained a reputation as a leading far-right publicist.He was extradited after being arrested near the city of Malaga.Vienna state prosecutors said the new trial was set to start on 20 July.Thomas Vecsey, a spokesman for the prosecution, said: “We expect the verdict to bring an additional sentence.”Vecsey however added that it was also possible that judges considered the current four-year jail term Honsik was serving as appropriate for his crimes.