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SARKOZY GETS OFF THE HOOK - EXPERT
Tert.am
29.02.12
The French Constitutional Council's ruling helped Sarkozy to get off
the hook, according to Artak Shakaryan, a turkologist.
Commenting on the Council's Tuesday ruling to deem the genocide denial
criminalization bill unconstitutional. the expert told reporters on
Wednesday that the move enabled the French leader to prove that he
had nothing to do with the constitutionalists' opinion.
Shakaryan said such outcome was not predictable given that the final
decision depended on several members who were politically isolated
from electoral processes and public moods.
"Although they say now that the Turks gloat over the ruling, the
Constitutional Council's decision depended actually on just a few
members, so there's absolutely nothing to rejoice at," he said.
On January 23, the French Senate voted 127 to 86 to criminalize the
denial of all the genocides recognized by the country. Several
lawmakers protesting against the bill later applied to the
Constitutional Council asking it to revise the document. The Council
was expected to issue its ruling within a month. On February 28, it
declared the bill unconstitutional, arguing that such legislation
would curb freedom of speech in the country. If enacted, the bill
would threaten anyone publicly denying the Armenian Genocide with a
one-year prison sentence and a fine of ~@45,000.
Tert.am
29.02.12
The French Constitutional Council's ruling helped Sarkozy to get off
the hook, according to Artak Shakaryan, a turkologist.
Commenting on the Council's Tuesday ruling to deem the genocide denial
criminalization bill unconstitutional. the expert told reporters on
Wednesday that the move enabled the French leader to prove that he
had nothing to do with the constitutionalists' opinion.
Shakaryan said such outcome was not predictable given that the final
decision depended on several members who were politically isolated
from electoral processes and public moods.
"Although they say now that the Turks gloat over the ruling, the
Constitutional Council's decision depended actually on just a few
members, so there's absolutely nothing to rejoice at," he said.
On January 23, the French Senate voted 127 to 86 to criminalize the
denial of all the genocides recognized by the country. Several
lawmakers protesting against the bill later applied to the
Constitutional Council asking it to revise the document. The Council
was expected to issue its ruling within a month. On February 28, it
declared the bill unconstitutional, arguing that such legislation
would curb freedom of speech in the country. If enacted, the bill
would threaten anyone publicly denying the Armenian Genocide with a
one-year prison sentence and a fine of ~@45,000.