New Bill Criminalizing Denial of the Armenian Genocide Introduced to French Parliament

PARIS — New bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide was introduced to French National Assembly again. Valérie Boyer, representative of the Bouches-du-Rhône Department and five other parliament members representing the Union for a Popular Movement party have drafted the new bill. It is anchored on the European Parliament’s Genocide and military crimes’ denial penalization clause.

The new measure threatens two years of imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 Euros to anyone denying a crime of genocide.

Last year a similar bill was approved by the French Senate and later the Constitutional Court prevented its enactment citing to its contradiction to the freedom of speech.

French President François Hollande has repeatedly pledged to adopt a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide.