02 10 2008 - The Armenians of France claim a law against Genocide denial

Jean Eckian - Independent correspondent
Paris, october 1, 2008
About 300 Armenians gathered yesterday, october 1, in front of the French Senate to require that the socialist bill, punishing of one year of prison and 45,000 euros fine, the denial of Armenian genocide adopted by National Assembly (October 12, 2006), is approved by senators as soon as possible.

Indeed, the past two years, France has been the scene of an intense negationnism with several desecration of memorials and threats on the individuals

It's with the slogan « The denial is a crime. For punishing it I want a Law! » chanted by the crowd, several speakers of Armenian organizations of France and french deputies have called the senators to understand that civil security and public order are threatened on French soil in the disrespect of the law of January 2001, which stipulates: « France recognizes publicly the Armenian genocide of 1915 ».

Today, the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) which had joined film director Robert Guediguian and his wife, actress Ariane Ascaride, request that senators put the sanction of the Armenian Genocide in the agenda of their work.
On october 2006, at exit of the French positive vote, Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had declared in Erdine (Turkey), « Because of certain limited representatives, France whom we know as the country of freedoms is obliged to live with this shame », he had hammered. " If France does not cancel this text, It is she who will lose and not Turkey ", he said.

Mourad Papazian, chairman of ARF Dachnaktutyun Europe in particular annouced another gathering in front of Frenche Senate on November 22 when are awaited nearly 10,000 people.

Jean Eckian