French MP Philippe Kaltenbach deems Genocide denial unacceptable

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia’s ambassador to FranceVigen Chitechyan met with French Senator Philippe Kaltenbach, who reaffirmed his intention to honor the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims despite any attempts to deny the historical fact.

He noted that the newly-elected President also deems Genocide negation unacceptable, with a relevant bill criminalizing the denial of this crime against humanity to be drafted in the near future.

He further voiced willingness to meet with Armenian MPs from Armenia- France friendship group in November.

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.