Jean-Marie Le Pen loses Nazi remark appeal

The founder of France's far right National Front party has been convicted of contesting crimes against humanity for saying the Nazi occupation was not “particularly inhumane”.

A French appeals court sentenced Jean-Marie Le Pen to a three-month suspended prison sentence and a 10,000 euro (£8,300) fine.

Le Pen made the comments in a magazine in 2005.

France has strict laws against anti-Semitic speech and denying the Holocaust, and Le Pen was originally convicted for the remarks in 2009. A higher court overturned the decision and sent it back to the Paris appeals court, which ruled today.

Le Pen's daughter Marine now runs his anti-immigrant party and is a prominent candidate for France's presidential elections in April and May.

PA