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SARKOZY PROMISES TO SUBMIT NEW GENOCIDE DENIAL CRIMINALIZING BILL IN JUNE
/ARKA/
APRIL 25, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, April 25. /ARKA/. A new draft law criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian genocide in France will be submitted to the parliament
in June this year, Armenian TV channels reported citing France's
president Nicolas Sarkozy, who spoke at a ceremony yesterday to
remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Paris.
The ceremony was held at the monument to great Armenian composer
Komitas. Novosti-Armenia news agency said Sarkozy's rival Francois
Hollande was also present at the ceremony.
President Nicolas Sarkozy had ordered his government to draft a new
law punishing denial of the Armenian genocide after France's top court
struck it down as unconstitutional. France had already recognised
the killings as a genocide, but the new law sought to go further by
punishing anyone who denies this with up to a year in jail and a fine
of 45,000 euros.
However, the Constitutional Council labelled the law an
"unconstitutional attack on freedom of expression" and it said it
wished "not to enter into the realm of responsibility that belongs
to historians".
/ARKA/
APRIL 25, 2012
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, April 25. /ARKA/. A new draft law criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian genocide in France will be submitted to the parliament
in June this year, Armenian TV channels reported citing France's
president Nicolas Sarkozy, who spoke at a ceremony yesterday to
remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide in Paris.
The ceremony was held at the monument to great Armenian composer
Komitas. Novosti-Armenia news agency said Sarkozy's rival Francois
Hollande was also present at the ceremony.
President Nicolas Sarkozy had ordered his government to draft a new
law punishing denial of the Armenian genocide after France's top court
struck it down as unconstitutional. France had already recognised
the killings as a genocide, but the new law sought to go further by
punishing anyone who denies this with up to a year in jail and a fine
of 45,000 euros.
However, the Constitutional Council labelled the law an
"unconstitutional attack on freedom of expression" and it said it
wished "not to enter into the realm of responsibility that belongs
to historians".