CCAF URGES FRENCH SENATE TO ADOPT A BILL SANCTIONING DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.11.2009 17:10 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of
France (CCAF) calls on French Senate to pass a bill criminalizing
denial of Armenian Genocide.
In one of Nancy lyceums, 13-year-old schoolboy Mustafa Dogan
announced with other 5 schoolchildren of Turkish decent that there
was no Armenian Genocide. Thereafter, the boys were expelled from the
classroom. During a history lesson that followed, Mustafa announced
"even if it happened, they deserved it". The boy was suspended from
classes for two days.
After the intervention of "Cojep International" Turkish NGO, the
pupil apologized on Friday, November 20.
In a letter addressed to the school earlier, Cojep International
mentioned that the law on the negation of the Armenian genocide was
not ratified by the Senate. Moreover, it said that "the international
context is very badly selected if we take account of the current
rapprochement between Armenia and Turkey which help countries to
achieve final solution with regard to 1915 incidents."
"Considering this serious incident unacceptable in a country which
recognized the Armenian genocide, CCAF sent on November 24 a letter
to French Senate President Gerard Larcher to draw his attention to
the damage which the denial causes France and elsewhere," French
journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.
France is one of the countries which recognized the 1915 Armenian
Genocide. In October 2006, the country’s National Assembly passed
a bill criminalizing denial of Armenian Genocide with a vote of 106
"for" and 19 "against". To enter into force, the document has yet to
be approved by Senate and signed by President. The bill envisages
1-year imprisonment or fine in the amount of 45 thousand Euro for
genocide deniers.