French Parliament Passes Bill Criminalizing Denial of the Armenian Genocide

Toronto, Canada - The Armenian National Committee of Toronto (ANCT) welcomed the passage of a bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, and rendering it punishable with a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($58,000). The bill was voted on the morning of December 12, 2012 in the lower house of French parliament and is now scheduled to come before the Senate early in the new year, where if passed, will become part of French law.

France formally recognized the Armenian Genocide in 2001, though at the time, there were no laws criminalizing its denial. France, as well as many other European countries, already has laws banning the denial of the Jewish Holocaust.

In the days leading up to the vote, the Turkish government threatened its relationship with the French government, in an attempt to sway the vote. Many French Members of Parliament spoke against these bullying tactics, including the bill's author, Valerie Boyer, who has maintained that the bill is not aimed at any particular country, but instead is based on European laws that reprimand genocide denial in all forms.

"The statement issued by some of Turkey's main political parties claims the bill 'denigrates Turkish history'; this is yet another example of the Turkish government trying to force its own views not only on the French government, but also the Canadian government, the U.S government and other governments around the world," said ANCT Chairman Jack Tchakmakian. "We applaud the French government for refusing to heed to Ankara's attempts at bullying and blackmail."

Soon after word of the bill being passed, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan followed through on many of the threats made, halting bilateral political and economic contacts, suspending military cooperation and recalling Ambassador Tahsin Burcuoglu.

Turkey has also argued that the bill passed in France encroaches on freedom of expression however, the Turkish government has long been reproached for its own questionable freedom of speech record, including Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, which makes it a crime to "denigrate the Turkish Nation" and its government. Many well-known Turkish authors, such as Orhan Pamuk, the late Hrant Dink and most recently, Ragip Zarakolu, have all been charged under Article 301 for publicly speaking about the Armenian Genocide.

About ANCT

The Armenian National Committee of Toronto is a chapter of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, grassroots organization that was founded in 1965 to address the concerns of the Canadian Armenian community of a broad range of issues.

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