E.U. TO PENALIZE HOLOCAUST DENIAL

E.U. to penalize Holocaust denial (JTA)
The European Union is poised to introduce a unified penalty for Holocaust denial. Cabinet ministers from the 27 E.U. member countries who will meet Thursday are expected to back a proposal that would punish Holocaust denial with up to three years in jail. The punishment would be handed out for inciting violence against ethnic, religious or national groups.

One sticking point for the proposed law is the effort by Poland and the Baltic states to include denial of "Stalinist crimes" as equal to Holocaust denial. The other E.U. members are said not to accept that proposal.

Holocaust denial already is a crime in Germany and Austria. One controversial aspect of the possible E.U.-wide ban is that although it punishes violence against certain groups, it does not penalize violence against religions.