Lithuania has barred the prolific British Holocaust denier David Irving from entering the country for the next five years.

The decision was based on information seen by the Foreign Ministry, a spokeswoman for Vilnius’ migration authorities – which are part of the Interior Ministry.

Lithuania’s move to block Irving comes off the back of reports of a planned tour in autumn of Poland and the Baltic states by the 81-year-old to important World War II sites linked to the Nazis and the persecution of Jews.

“The spread of his ideas denying the Holocaust and praising [Nazi leader] Adolf Hitler is a crime in Lithuania and we can’t allow such crimes to be committed,” Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told BNS.

The ban is in force until April 15, 2024.

Irving has publicly denied the murder of millions of Jews in the gas chambers in the Auschwitz death camp. He was