G. Manoyan: “New measures for the draft of the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial must be worked out”

Director of the International Secretariat of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau in Yerevan Giro Manoyan met journalists today and spoke about the decision of French Constitutional Council. “This decision does not mean the “end of the life” yet”, he mentioned. The speaker noted that Turkish pressure and bribe succeed this time. “Naturally it is not a honor for France”, Manoyan said. According to him Hay Dat and Armenian Community in France will work out a new draft and it will again be presented to the Senate. Manoyan announced that all minuses of the previous experience would be taken under consideration and new measures would be used. Manoyan informed that Armenian Diaspora has already announced about the continuation of the works over the project. The expert underlined that N. Sarkozy would hardly manage to change anything in the current situation. At the same time he noted that the Senate would soon leave for the holiday and it would hardly gather once more to discuss the bill once more.

Manoyan also spoke about the reasons of the decision by the French Council. The speaker considers thatUSpressure may have played role on the issue and especially underlined the critics by Hilary Clinton.

Remind that onFebruary 28, the Constitutional Court of France has repealed the law on genocides denial.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 Franceis 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.