The bill criminalizing the denial of crimes against humanity like the Armenian Genocide is passed by the French Parliament on October 14, by a vote of 156 for and 146 against. The bill will carry a penalty of imprisonment for one year or a fine of 45,000 euros for the denial or trivialization of crimes such as genocide, slave trade and war crimes.
The bill involves all crimes against humanity that are recognized by juridical and legal authorities of France. Previously, the law only involved the denial of Holocaust and with this bill, denial of all crimes against humanity, including war crimes and the Armenian Genocide, will be criminalized.
Speaking to news.am, Murad Papazian, co-chair of CCAF (Co-ordination Council of Armenian organizations of France) stated that Turkey made efforts to prevent the adoption of the bill, but failed.
French President François Hollande, during his election campaign in 2012, had promised such a law and the first draft of the law was rejected by French Constitutional Court on the ground that it limits the freedom of expression. While only the denial of Holocaust was an offense before this bill, the French Parliament had recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001.
