Expert: some in Armenia misunderstand meaning of Genocide bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - Some in Armenia misunderstand developments in France regarding the bill criminalizing Genocide denial, the Caucasus Institute director said.

Alexander Iskandaryan assessed French National Assembly’s decision as the product of Armenian lobbying efforts, as well as humanitarian problem of Genocide and its evaluation.

In addition to the aforesaid factors, the expert also conditioned the draft law by France’s intention to use Armenian Genocide issue as a tool of pressure on Turkey.

Iskandaryan further linked French policy regarding the issue both with upcoming elections in France and Turkey’s plans to boost its role in the Middle East.

Dwelling on Senate voting on the bill, the political analyst viewed final criminalization of genocide denial as utterly possible.

On December 22, 2011, French National Assembly passed a bill criminalizing public denial of the Armenian Genocide. If passed and signed into law by the Senate, the bill would impose 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.