Menu
Latest
Menu
Latest
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.

Related articles

Editor's choice
News
Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged
Trending

Borrell tells the European Parliament that the situation in Afghanistan was critical, but the EU will remain engaged

9 June 2021
Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.
Editor's choice
News
Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement
Trending

Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

6 July 2025
The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently agreed the text of a historic peace agreement that ends years of animosity and warfare. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. LINKS Europe, which has a long history of engagement with the process of peace in the region, recently launched a new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue format in the framework of the European Union's EU4Peace initiative. In the last two weeks dozens of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, including academics, students, civil society activists, journalists and other professionals, many of them young, were involved. The work is organised in five thematic groups focusing on peace and security, connectivity, environment, governance and gender and equality and in phase 2 of the project, which has just ended, around fifty participants took part in in-person and online meetings, and more than twenty others were involved indirectly. The Chairpersons of the five thematic groups met in Vilnius, 3-6 July to launch the third phase of the program. The five thematic groups are now working on separate reports, which are expected to be finished in November and presented to the two governments and other stakeholders. The reports will outline a vision, up to 2040.

Popular

Editor's choice
News
Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement
Trending

Dozens participate in new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue process as societies prepare for the signing of historic peace agreement

6 July 2025
The governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan have recently agreed the text of a historic peace agreement that ends years of animosity and warfare. The agreement is expected to be signed soon. LINKS Europe, which has a long history of engagement with the process of peace in the region, recently launched a new Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue format in the framework of the European Union's EU4Peace initiative. In the last two weeks dozens of Armenians and Azerbaijanis, including academics, students, civil society activists, journalists and other professionals, many of them young, were involved. The work is organised in five thematic groups focusing on peace and security, connectivity, environment, governance and gender and equality and in phase 2 of the project, which has just ended, around fifty participants took part in in-person and online meetings, and more than twenty others were involved indirectly. The Chairpersons of the five thematic groups met in Vilnius, 3-6 July to launch the third phase of the program. The five thematic groups are now working on separate reports, which are expected to be finished in November and presented to the two governments and other stakeholders. The reports will outline a vision, up to 2040.