French Senator hopes for consensus on Genocide bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - French Senator Bernard Fournier commented on the possible adoption of a new bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in France.

He noted French President Francois Hollandes’ intention to propose the parliament to draft a new bill on Genial negation.

“As Armenia’s friends, we will be happy for consensus in France on the issue,” he said.

Senator Philippe Marini, in turn, shared his impressions on visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial complex and Genocide Museum.

“In the morning we paid tribute to victims of the first genocide of 20th century,” he said.

According to Senator Marini, the visit to Genocide Museum enabled them to deepen knowledge on the crime that befell the Armenian nation.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged imposing a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that a bill adopted by the French Senate making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide was anti-constitutional.

In a statement the Council said the bill adopted by parliament on January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and communication.”

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara halted political and military cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took effect.

Immediately after French Constitutional Council ruling, the then President Nicolas Sarkozy instructed the government to submit a new draft law punishing the denial of the Armenian Genocide.