04-02-2012 12:36:56

French Constitutional Council to make decision on “Armenian genocide” law before March 1

The French Constitutional Council will make a decision on repeal of the law criminalizing the denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" before March 1, Anadolu news agency reported on Friday.

Votes of seven members of the Council are required for making any decision. According to the news agency it is expected that many members of the Constitutional Council will vote for repeal of the law.

On Jan.31, French Senators collected required number of signatures to submit to the Constitutional Council to demand a repeal of the law criminalizing the denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Previously on Jan 23, after an eight-hour debate, the French Senate adopted the bill. Some 127 senators voted in favour, while 86 voted against.

The bill demands a year's imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euro for denying the so-called "genocide."

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of the Turkey - Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the Armenians living in Anadolu, and achieved recognition of the "Armenian genocide" by the parliaments of several countries.

TAGS: French Constitutional Council, Armenian genocide, French Senators, Turkey, Ottoman Empire