Armenian FM welcomes French law criminalizing denial of Armenian genocide
04.07.2016,
15:16
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian welcomed France's lower house of parliament unanimously voted resolution to criminalize the denial of all crimes against humanity. The move comes shortly after Germany recognized the killing by Ottoman forces in Armenia as genocide.
YEREVAN, July 4. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian welcomed France's lower house of parliament unanimously voted resolution to criminalize the denial of all crimes against humanity. The move comes shortly after Germany recognized the killing by Ottoman forces in Armenia as genocide. The amendment, which was an extension of the current French holocaust denial law, was passed in the first reading on Friday.
The amendment covered all events which the French law defined as genocide, including the Armenian genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or slavery. The law set out penalties of up to one year in prison and a 45,000-euro ($50,000) fine for those who contradicted it.
In an interview with Armenia’s Public Television Nalbandian said: 'We, indeed, welcome the draft bill, initiated by the Government of France, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly.
According to that draft bill, the amendments will be made to the bill on Equality and Citizenship of France, thus criminalizing the denial of the genocides, crimes against humanity and, hence, the denial of the Armenian Genocide, as well. We hope that the Senate of France will also approve this draft bill, and it will be signed into law. Thus by this step, France will make yet another important, essential contribution to the noble cause to prevent the genocides and crimes against humanity.’
The French parliament passed an Armenian genocide law in 2001 and tried to ban the denial in 2012. But that law, which made it illegal to negate acts that parliament had decided were crimes against humanity, was blocked by the Constitutional Council on the grounds that it was a limit on freedom of expression. -0-
The amendment covered all events which the French law defined as genocide, including the Armenian genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or slavery. The law set out penalties of up to one year in prison and a 45,000-euro ($50,000) fine for those who contradicted it.
In an interview with Armenia’s Public Television Nalbandian said: 'We, indeed, welcome the draft bill, initiated by the Government of France, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly.
According to that draft bill, the amendments will be made to the bill on Equality and Citizenship of France, thus criminalizing the denial of the genocides, crimes against humanity and, hence, the denial of the Armenian Genocide, as well. We hope that the Senate of France will also approve this draft bill, and it will be signed into law. Thus by this step, France will make yet another important, essential contribution to the noble cause to prevent the genocides and crimes against humanity.’
The French parliament passed an Armenian genocide law in 2001 and tried to ban the denial in 2012. But that law, which made it illegal to negate acts that parliament had decided were crimes against humanity, was blocked by the Constitutional Council on the grounds that it was a limit on freedom of expression. -0-
