PARIS, France (A.W.)—The lower house of the French parliament unanimously passed a bill on July 1, criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The new bill sets out penalties of up to a year in prison and a 45,000 Euro ($50,000 USD) fine for those who publicly deny the genocide, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The two houses of the
Or, subscribe now for unlimited access
By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
Already a subscriber?Log in here
This story is FREE for you...
Create a free account to access this and four more articles, and get more sent to you with our e-newsletter.By submitting your email address you agree for Hairenik Association, Inc. to send you communication by email.
GOD BLESS FRANCE FOR THEIR COURAGE!
And, too to the other Countries, who acknowledge this murderous Fact.
Turkey cannot be trusted at all in any way.
will the upper house pass the bill as well
I am glad that France is taking these extreme measures to promote recognition of the Armenian Genocide, something long overdue. The only thing that worries me is this being deemed unconstitutional. While free speech is an inviolable right, but in this case, historical facts are intentionally being veiled up just so they can “preserve Turkish-ness”. The upper House Senate that will approve this bill must understand that Turkish denial is the biggest obstacle to Armenian Genocide recognition and it is continually to haunt the descendants of the victims of the Armenian Genocide today. As Pope Francis put it in his historical recognition of the Armenian Genocide, “denying an evil is like leaving a wound open allowing it bleed”. Because a lot of countries in the world are not willing to formally recognize the reality of the Armenian Genocide out of fear for angering Turkey, illegalizing Armenian Genocide denial would propel recognition of the Armenian Genocide from all over the world. Like this, Turkey would be further isolated in this issue and will have no other choice but to recognize it.
Viva la France!
What is the exact wording of the “new” law? Can the upper court knock it down again if challenged?
I hate to keep repeating my self, time after time, year after year, but I STILL can’t believe some of these European states can pass these types of resolutions with these all-encompassing languages with a straight face:
“This text will punish the challenge or the trivialization of all crimes against humanity and war crimes”
Really, will it? ALL CRIMES? Does this mean France will punish itself over the mockery of the Parliamentary Commission on Rwanda, where the red-handed, guilty French government, in a commission they set up, inside France, found that they were in no way responsible for anything that happened in Rwanda? This, despite clear evidence of France’s support of the Hutu government, training Hutu militias, enabling genocidal Hutus from passing into the DRC to pursue RPF soldiers, and enabling Hutu genocidaires to escape into the DRC and evade justice?
Oh, of course it’s not true. This is what made Germany’s recognition of the Armenian genocide so valuable to me. Germany has completely changed itself since WWII, they accept their actions and have shown true remorse for them. When Germany says “never again,” I believe them. Further, Germany also accepted their own complicity in the Armenian genocide. They faced the truth of the issue head on and admitted their guilt. The world could learn much from Germany in this regard, and I wish I was lucky enough to say my country had the same amount of courage. But I can’t, and I doubt I ever will be able to say it.
France’s recognition and criminalization of the Armenian genocide still has it’s value of course. But the French government are nothing more than shameless hypocrites — BUT, being a hypocrite and being correct in a particular instance are not mutually exclusive, and France is absolutely right in its stance on the Armenian genocide.
Why France’s own genocide-enabling/complicit history matters: It allows Turkey to make some undeniably valid points. If the Turkish government released a statement roughly stating that the French were a bunch of hypocrites too cowardly to admit their own sins so they call others out on theirs to make themselves have a false sense of moral superiority — how wrong would they really be? It would of course be incredibly hypocritical for the Turkish government to accuse someone else of not owning up to their history — but as I just said, being hypocritical and being right in a particular instance are not mutually exclusive.
Although any move to further heap pressure on the Turkish government’s denial of the Armenian genocide should be applauded and appreciated, not all recognition is equal, and France is no Germany.
As usual, many of your observations are well reasoned and valid, RVDV.
I wish my mom and dad would be alive and see this days . I am sure they will be thankful to all the countries who’s
Are recognized the Armenian Genoside.and I wish the other countries also recognize like Germany. Thanks again to all of you .And God Bless you.
To simplify the matter, the bill should target officials making denials, as private free speech has nothing to do with government speakers in office.