The adoption of the bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide in France is a victory for the whole Armenianhood, The California Courier editor-in-chief Harut Sasunian told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the Turkish government by threats, blackmail and lies attempted to dissuade French deputies from adoption of the bill. "Turks tried to represent the issue as a taboo on freedom of speech but owing to inadmissibility of their actions, the attempts failed," Sasunian said.

Sasunian marked out three principal aspects. "First, Turkey is the single country in the world that lacks the law on freedom of speech. If anyone on Turkey dares to speak of the Armenian Genocide he is sent to prison at once. Second, this bill has nothing in common with freedom of speech. This is a means of political struggle of the Turkish government and the Armenian people. Third, France like many other states has a law providing for punishment for Holocaust denial. So why doesn't this law infringe freedom of speech but the law on the Armenian Genocide does? These are double standards which are inadmissible. I hope that in the near future the French Senate will ratify the bill and President Chirac will sign it," said the editor-in-chief of The California Courier.