Denial Battle: Genocide bill expected to face Turkish resistance in France

Denial Battle: Genocide bill expected to face Turkish resistance in France –

Armenianow – Turkey, which has gained strategic importance to the European family, may hinder the Senate of France and National Assembly’s attempt to pass a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide, Mourad Papazian, co-chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian organizations of France (CCAF), told media Wednesday. 

In 2012, the current President of France Francois Hollande promised the Armenian community to present a project that would criminalize the Genocide denial in France. Approved by the Senate and the National Assembly, the bill was rejected on the basis of the restriction on freedom of expression by the Constitutional Court.

“At present, President Hollande has instructed Jean-Paul Costa, a well-known constitutionalist in France, to develop a new bill within months, which will clarify the legal part and will not be obstructed by the Constitutional Court,” Papazian said.

Papazian said that in mid-April, during the upcoming meeting between the Armenian community in France and Costa, the latter will present his conclusions and steps.

Papazian said that Turkey could use Europe’s current migrant problem as leverage. Turkey, which is a mediator country for Syrian refugees and has hosted three million refugees in its territory, is negotiating with Europe to keep them within its border.

“It also concerns the new bill still to be introduced. However, we are working on that issue,” he said.