French Government presents text of bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial

By Asbarez | Wednesday, 29 June 2016

French National Assembly (Photo: Francoi Mori/AP)

French National Assembly (Photo: Francoi Mori/AP)

YEREVAN (Armenpress)—The French Government has presented the text of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. French-Armenian media outlet, Nouvelles d`Armenie, reported that the text of the “bill criminalizing the denial of genocides and crimes against humanity” is in line with the text of the bill on Equality and Citizenship under discussion in the National Assembly.

The Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France hailed the Government initiative that is in accordance with the commitment assumed by the French President.

“We hope that the bill will be adopted this year. We praise the consistent activities of all who supported the Armenian community during the previous years. We call on all the parliamentary forces to consolidate over this multilaterally agreed text,” reads the statement issued by the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations in France.

The French Ambassador to Armenia, Jean-Francois Charpentier, said that President Francois Hollande is behind the bill drafted by French government officials and legal experts. He stressed that the bill would criminalize the denial of not only the Armenian Genocide but also other genocides officially recognized by France.

The two houses of France’s parliament already passed a law against Armenian Genocide denial in December 2011 and January 2012. The move, hailed by Armenia but condemned by Turkey, was orchestrated by Hollande’s predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy. However, France’s constitutional court struck down the law, saying that it runs counter to freedom of speech.


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