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Top French Court Rules Armenian Genocide Bill Unconstitutional

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  • Top French Court Rules Armenian Genocide Bill Unconstitutional

    TOP FRENCH COURT RULES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL UNCONSTITUTIONAL

    WireUpdate
    http://wireupdate.com/top-french-court-rules-armenian-genocide-bill-unconstitutional.html
    Feb 29 2012

    PARIS, France (BNO NEWS) -- France's Constitutional Council ruled on
    Tuesday that a government-backed law that makes it a crime to deny
    the Armenian genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War
    I is unconstitutional, a move that looks set to ward off a deepening
    crisis in Turkish-French ties.

    The council's decision was posted on its official website after
    a month-long examination of the much discussed law, which French
    President Nicolas Sarkozy was due to ratify by the end of February.

    According to the statement, the law was not in line with the
    constitution's articles that highlight freedom of expression and
    thought, the Hurriyet Daily News reported.

    Ankara expressed its satisfaction with the law and said this would
    remove hurdles standing in the way of the improvement of relations
    between the two countries. "This is a very positive decision. I thank
    the members of the council for the respectful decision. It will set
    a precedent as well," Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ~_lu told
    reporters, as quoted by the newspaper.

    In late December, France's National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in
    favor of the bill, prompting an angry response from Turkey which does
    not agree with the term genocide. On January 23, the French Senate
    adopted the controversial bill.

    The law sets a prison sentence of up to one year and a fine of 45,000
    euros ($58,000) for those who deny or 'outrageously minimize' the
    'genocide' of Armenians by the Ottoman government during World War I.

    It also criminalizes other genocides recognized by France.

    It is estimated that between 600,000 and 1.5 million people of the
    Armenian population were killed by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and
    1923, but Turkey has refused to use the word 'genocide' to describe
    the events. Numerous countries have officially recognized the Armenian
    Genocide, including France.




    From: A. Papazian
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