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Last update - 15:05 10/11/2007
Spanish court rules out jail sentences for Holocaust denial
By Assaf Uni, Haaretz Correspondent in Berlin
Tags: Spain, Holocaust denial, Nazi 

Spain's Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that Holocaust denial will not be punishable by imprisonment, saying it falls within freedom of speech.

Spanish law had mandated a sentence of up to two years in prison for Holocaust denial. But the court, which deliberated on the case following the trial of a neo-Nazi activist, ruled that such a punishment was unconstitutional.

It did, however, rule that imprisonment is a constitutional punishment for any individual convicted of justifying the Holocaust or any other genocide.
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The court is expected to release the full ruling in the coming days.

Deliberations on the case began in 1996 with the trial of a Barcelona bookshop owner, Pedro Valera, who had been distributing neo-Nazi material. Valera was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison and a monetary fine, but the Barcelona high court suspended the sentence pending the Constitutional Court ruling.

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  1.   Holocaust Denial 20:21  |  Juan 09/11/07
  2.   WELL DONE SPAIN... A COURAGEOUS DECISION 21:01  |  TrippleJump 09/11/07
  3.   Jews are allowed to deny the Armenian Massacre 21:15  |  Armen Ashdod 09/11/07
  4.   Spanish Court 21:24  |  Naomi 09/11/07
  5.   Spaniards 22:32  |  L. Gomberoff 09/11/07
  6.   IT MAY BE STUPID BUT IT`S STILL FREE SPEECH 23:04  |  B`Galil 09/11/07
  7.   This is normal 23:13  |  KUTW 09/11/07
  8.   I am afraid 23:16  |  KUTW 09/11/07
  9.   Spain shows some spine 23:17  |  Tom 09/11/07
  10.   stuoid Gomberoff 23:18  |  Sama 09/11/07
  11.   High Court of Spain. 00:17  |  Stephen. 10/11/07
  12.   Sama # 10 - the problem is 00:58  |  ChanahS 10/11/07
  13.   Holocaust Denial 01:17  |  Average Joe 10/11/07
  14.   Holocaust Denial/Holocaust Justification 01:19  |  Catherine Jefferson 10/11/07
  15.   L. Gomberoff #5 01:29  |  democrat 10/11/07
  16.   To Spaniards 01:39  |  Fortuna Benmayor 10/11/07
  17.   Fortuna Bennmayor 01:57  |  Lopez 10/11/07
  18.   #3 Armenians make their own problem 01:57  |  Shaka 10/11/07
  19.   3 - Armen Ashdod 02:33  |  Nicolas from Paris 10/11/07
  20.   IF YOU HAVE THE TRUTH ON YOUR SIDE, WHY SO AFRAID? 03:02  |  The Jackal 10/11/07
  21.   For Lopez # 17 who doesn`t know Spanish 03:19  |  Fortuna Benmayor 10/11/07
  22.   Free speech is free speech 03:32  |  Conroy 10/11/07
  23.   Armen Ashdod # 3 03:40  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  24.   Nicolas From Paris # 19 03:42  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  25.   Average Joe # 13 03:44  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  26.   L. Gomberoff # 5 03:47  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  27.   Outrage 04:58  |  Gordon 10/11/07
  28.   HAARETZ is an example of free speech 05:09  |  VIPER 10/11/07
  29.   The Inquisition 06:56  |  Cyclops 10/11/07
  30.   Viper # 28 07:30  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  31.   Spain itself is a 500 ys old holocaust denial 07:41  |  Alain 10/11/07
  32.   Thought Crime: Just Say NO! 07:54  |  susan 10/11/07
  33.   Jail sentences for Holocaust denial are ridiculous 10:39  |  Clickfool 10/11/07
  34.   Bravo Spain! 11:02  |  Dav 10/11/07
  35.   Hidden Children and the Holocaust 11:16  |  Dav 10/11/07
  36.   about spanish court decision 11:48  |  Leone Alato 10/11/07
  37.   To Viper 12:28  |  dovale 10/11/07
  38.   Sad situation 13:06  |  Teacher 10/11/07
  39.   To Lopez 13:35  |  Josep 10/11/07
  40.   FINALLY! THIS IS A GREAT VICTORY! 14:50  |  nobodysacred 10/11/07
  41.   chanah s 12 16:03  |  realism 10/11/07
  42.   #40 you are definitely not sacred 18:07  |  51 shekels 10/11/07
  43.   Holocaust RIP 19:10  |  Mexi 10/11/07
  44.   The Soul of Fascism Still Lives in Spain 19:26  |  HonestAbe 10/11/07
  45.   I applaude Spain. 20:03  |  Deborah 10/11/07
  46.   Teacher # 38 20:46  |  Philippe 10/11/07
  47.   Fascism in Spain 22:09  |  Max Gold (Pseudonim) 10/11/07
  48.   47.Max Gold (Pseudonim): Fascism in Spain 01:18  |  KUTW 11/11/07
  49.   #30, phillip, it can work against you too 02:54  |  VIPER 11/11/07
  50.   #37, DOVALE, occupation, it`s a killer either way 03:19  |  VIPER 11/11/07
  51.   Holocaust Denial 09:51  |  Christina Guillen 11/11/07
  52.   For Clickfool # 33 20:23  |  Fortuna Benmayor 11/11/07
  53.   Revisionism != Advocacy 07:13  |  RileyDeWiley 12/11/07
  54.   bli shem veblieretz, 48 16:41  |  naomi 12/11/07
  55.   #44 17:12  |  Bruno 12/11/07
  56.   Nicolas from Paris # 19 23:55  |  American in NY 12/11/07
  57.   Catherine Jefferson # 14 You are a budding anti-semite 00:13  |  American in NY 13/11/07
  58.   The Jackal # 20 00:20  |  American in NY 13/11/07
  59.   Philippi # 26 the Jewish taliban. 00:34  |  American in NY 13/11/07
  60.   honestAbe #44 The soul of fascism thrives in Brooklyn 00:52  |  American in NY 13/11/07
  61.   Fortuna Benmayor # 52 YOur holocaust or others are protected? 01:02  |  American in NY 13/11/07
  62.   FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT. 17:19  |  Tommy 13/11/07
  63.   american in New York 23:11  |  sweis Melbourne 13/11/07
  64.   sweis Melbourn Freedom of sppech and religion are inseprable. 04:11  |  American in NY 14/11/07
  65.   american in New York 05:50  |  sweis Melbourne 14/11/07
  66.   1. Juan: Holocaust Denial 18:07  |  KUTW 19/11/07
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