French Parliament to vote on bill criminalizing denial of Armenian Genocide on December 3

A bill that would make it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide will be voted on by the French Parliament on Thursday, Today's Zaman informs. 

Valerie Boyer, a deputy from Union for the Popular Movement (UMP), the main opposition party, prepared the bill.

To recall, on February 29, 2012 France's Constitutional Council overturned the bill adopted earlier by the Senate, stating any denial of the Armenian Genocide punishable crime.The Council said the law was contradictory to the principles of freedom of expression written into France's founding documents.

To recall, more than twenty countries recognized the Armenian Genocide. Switzerland, Slovakia and Greece have even passed laws criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide. Russia is preparing a similar bill. The Genocide of Armenians was recognized also by the CoE, European Parliament, the UN Subcommittee to prevent discrimination and protect minorities, the UN Committee for Military Crimes, the World Church Council.