Austria files charges against historian accused of denying Holocaust News
Austria files charges against historian accused of denying Holocaust

[JURIST] Austrian prosecutors filed charges Tuesday against British historian David Irving [BBC profile], who was arrested last week [JURIST report] for violating an Austrian law making it illegal to deny the Holocaust. Prosecutor Otto Schneider said, "A charge was filed in relation to two speeches in 1989 in which he denied the existence of gas chambers." Irving has previously argued that Hitler was not aware of the execution of six million Jews and that the scale of the extermination of the Jews during World War II has been exaggerated. A hearing to determine whether Irving should remain in custody for an additional four weeks will be held on Friday. BBC News has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.