Repeal of Genocides denial law

Today, February 28, the Constitutional Court of France has repealed the law on genocides denial.

Note, on January 23 the French Senate passed a bill making it a crime to publicly deny any genocide recognized by France, including Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

Denying the Jewish Holocaust in France is already a crime punishable by a year in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros. Legislators suggested the same punishment for denying the Armenian genocide.

The vote in favor of the bill was greeted with indignation by the Turkish government, which denies the Armenian genocide, moreover, public affirmation of the Armenian genocide is treated as a crime in Turkey , and is considered an insult to national identity.

Over 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman and Kemalist governments of Turkey during 1915-23.

About 30 nations, including France, that recognized the fact of genocide, as has the European Union. Switzerland and Slovenia treat denial of the genocide as a crime.

However the Constitutional Council of France has not yet taken a final decision.