French National Assembly sends Armenian Genocide bill to Justice Commission

 

 

 

The National Assembly of France voted today to send the bill on criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial proposed by MP Valérie Boyer back to the Justice Commission, Hilda Tchoboian, Member of the French Rhône-Alpe Regional Parliament told Public Radio of Armenia.

The decision was made on grounds that more time was needed to make the text more precise.

Explaining the reasons behind the decision, Hilda Tchoboian said: “Valérie Boyer is an opposition MP in the National Assembly. The Socialist majority of the Parliament objected that the proposal was brought on the floor at an inappropriate time, and had to be completed in order not to be rejected by the Constitutional Council.”

She added that regional elections are expected in France next Sunday, and the Left and the Right are trying hard to prevent each other from realizing the expectations of the Armenian community to secure their votes.

The bill was discussed by the parliamentary Justice Commission on Nov. 25.

Turkey had suspended military, economic and political ties with France when the lower house of the French Parliament passed a similar bill in December 2011.

The French Senate then also passed the bill in January 2012, ignoring warnings from Turkey that passage of the legislation would lead to additional sanctions.

A month later, France’s Constitutional Council overturned the bill.