Prominent artists call French senators in support of Genocide bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - The situation in Paris is becoming tense given the discussion of the bill criminalizing denial of Genocide, French journalist Jean Eckian said.

As he told PanARMENIAN.Net “a lot of Turks from all over Europe will gather at the Senate to protest while Armenian organizations will rally in support of the bill.

“I hope that in spite of controversial opinions in France’s political circles, the President’s course will be taken into consideration by senators,” Eckian noted.

He also informed that prominent artists called senators in support of the bill. “Such cultural workers Charles Aznavour, Serge Avedikian, Robert Guédiguian, Helene Segara, Alen Terzian and others called the senators,” he said.

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.

Today, Jan 23, the bill is to be debated by the Senate.