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(Combined Sources) – On October 14, the Upper House (Senate) of the French Parliament adopted a bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial, passing with 156 Members of Parliament in favor of the bill and 146 against.
“This is a really serious achievement, we have carried out huge works. Let’s remember that Turks have carried out a serious lobby, but the Senate voted in favor of the option of the bill that has been discussed in the National Assembly in the summer. It means that the French Parliament completely adopted the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial,” Co-Chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France Murad Papazaian said, reported Armenpress.
“We welcome the adoption by the French Senate of a bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, which had been approved by the National Assembly in summer,” Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in a statement. “With this step France once again reiterates its valuable role in the condemnation of genocides committed in the past, the fight against denial and the prevention of new crimes against humanity,” Minister Nalbandian said.
In July, the French National Assembly unanimously voted in favor of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The bill on “criminalizing the denial of genocides and crimes against humanity” was published on June 29 and envisages imprisonment of one year or a fine of 45,000 euros for the denial of the Armenian Genocide.
On January 29, 2001, the French President, National Assembly, and Senate proclaimed that France publicly recognizes the Armenian Genocide of 1915.