British bishop to pay 6,500 euro fine for Holocaust denialJuly 13, 2011 - 13:00 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - A German appellate court reduced on Monday the fine imposed on Richard Williamson, a bishop of a fundamentalist Catholic group, for denying the Holocaust, Haaretz reported. It fined him 6,500 euros (9,230 dollars) for incitement to hatred, which under German law includes any claim that the Holocaust did not happen. Williamson told a TV interviewer in 2008 that Jews were killed, but he did not believe the Nazi gas chambers ever existed. A lower court had previously fined Williamson 10,000 euros and both the defense and the prosecution appealed. Williamson, a 71-year-old Englishman, is one of four bishops appointed by the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), a group that is semi-independent of the Church. The Vatican triggered a furor when it revoked his excommunication in 2009, just one year after his Holocaust denial statements. Williamson's case was tried in absentia by the State Court in Regensburg, southern Germany with a lawyer representing him. In the interview, conducted by a Swedish reporter at an SSPX seminary near the city, Williamson claimed the Nazis killed far fewer Jews than the established toll of 5 to 6 million, and there had been no gas chambers to kill them. At the Regensburg hearing, prosecutors had sought in vain to have Williamson's earlier fine increased. Williamson's lawyer contended that the bishop had not broken German law because his remarks were not intended for broadcast in Germany. The Williamson case embarrassed the Catholic Church both when the statements were made as well as when his excommunication was rescinded. The Holocaust The Holocaust was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. "Holocaust" is a word of Greek origin meaning "sacrifice by fire." The Nazis, who came to power in Germany in January 1933, believed that Germans were "racially superior" and that the Jews, deemed "inferior," were an alien threat to the so-called German racial community. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |