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SARKOZY'S POLITICAL GAME BEHIND GENOCIDE BILL - EXPERT
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 2, 2012 - 17:24 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian political analyst Sergey Shakaryants
commented on the French Constitutional Council's ruling the bill
criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial as unconstitutional.
The expert deemed the Council's decision on the bill inadmissible in
a democratic country like France.
As Mr. Shakaryants told a press-conference, the draft law is a mere
political game by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, helping him to
advance his ranking.
"Two days have passed since the ruling; however Sarkozy hasn't kept his
promise namely referring the bill on Holocaust to the Constitutional
Council," Mr. Shakaryants said, adding the decision did Armenia no
actual harm.
The French Constitutional Council on Feb 28 ruled the bill
criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial adopted earlier by the
Senate of France as unconstitutional. The Council justified it by
the fact that the law "contradicts Article 33 of the Constitution of
France and the freedom of speech".
On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill with 127 votes for
and 86 against. If signed into law by the President, the bill would
impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France
who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara
halted political and military cooperation with France and was
threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took
effect.
PanARMENIAN.Net
March 2, 2012 - 17:24 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian political analyst Sergey Shakaryants
commented on the French Constitutional Council's ruling the bill
criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial as unconstitutional.
The expert deemed the Council's decision on the bill inadmissible in
a democratic country like France.
As Mr. Shakaryants told a press-conference, the draft law is a mere
political game by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, helping him to
advance his ranking.
"Two days have passed since the ruling; however Sarkozy hasn't kept his
promise namely referring the bill on Holocaust to the Constitutional
Council," Mr. Shakaryants said, adding the decision did Armenia no
actual harm.
The French Constitutional Council on Feb 28 ruled the bill
criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial adopted earlier by the
Senate of France as unconstitutional. The Council justified it by
the fact that the law "contradicts Article 33 of the Constitution of
France and the freedom of speech".
On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill with 127 votes for
and 86 against. If signed into law by the President, the bill would
impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France
who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara
halted political and military cooperation with France and was
threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took
effect.