CCAF urges French Senate to adopt a bill sanctioning denial of Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) calls on French Senate to pass a bill criminalizing denial of Armenian Genocide.



In one of Nancy lyceums, 13-year-old schoolboy Mustafa Dogan announced with other 5 schoolchildren of Turkish decent that there was no Armenian Genocide. Thereafter, the boys were expelled from the classroom. During a history lesson that followed, Mustafa announced "even if it happened, they deserved it". The boy was suspended from classes for two days.



After the intervention of "Cojep International" Turkish NGO, the pupil apologized on Friday, November 20.



In a letter addressed to the school earlier, Cojep International mentioned that the law on the negation of the Armenian genocide was not ratified by the Senate. Moreover, it said that "the international context is very badly selected if we take account of the current rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey which help countries to achieve final solution with regard to 1915 incidents."



"Considering this serious incident unacceptable in a country which recognized the Armenian genocide, CCAF sent on November 24 a letter to French Senate President Gerard Larcher to draw his attention to the damage which the denial causes France and elsewhere," French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net



France is one of the countries which recognized the 1915 Armenian Genocide. In October 2006, the country's National Assembly passed a bill criminalizing denial of Armenian Genocide with a vote of 106 «for» and 19 «against». To enter into force, the document has yet to be approved by Senate and signed by President. The bill envisages 1-year imprisonment or fine in the amount of 45 thousand Euro for genocide deniers.