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French National Assembly Commission passes bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial

French National Assembly Commission passes bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial

9 December 2011

The French National Assembly Commission for Constitutional Laws, Legislation and General Administration of the Republic has passed the bill authored by Valerie Boyer of the Union for Popular Movement (UMP) by the proposal of several Senate members. The bill is criminalizing the Armenian genocide denial, amends the law on freedom press criminalizing, proposing a clause on racially motivating crimes.  The new bill stipulates one year in prison and a fine in the amount of 45,000 Euros for anyone who denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide in the territory of France, which officially recognized the Armenian genocide on Jan 29 2001, the French NA website reports.

To recall, during his visit to Armenia in October 2011 President Nicolas Sarkozy highlighted importance of Armenian Genocide's recognition by Turkey and warned that France might adopt a law criminalizing the genocide denial.

Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by 44 United States as well as by 21 countries, including Canada, Argentina, Switzerland, Uruguay, Russia, Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus, Vatican, Sweden, Lithuania.. The European Parliament passed a resolution recognizing the fact of Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey on June 18 1987 and demanded the Council of Europe to exert pressure on Turkey in order that country recognizes the Armenian Genocide.  Turkey still denies the genocide of 1,5 million Armenians in 1915-1923.

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