YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The Upper House (Senate) of the French Parliament adopted the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial through voting on October 14, Co-Chairman of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France Murad Papazian told “Armenpress”.

156 MPs voted in favor of the bill, 146 were against.

“This is a really serious achievement, we have carried out huge works. Let’s remember that Turks have carried out a serious lobby, but the Senate voted in favor of the option of the bill that has been discussed in the National Assembly in summer. It means that the French Parliament completely adopted the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial”, he said.

The French National Assembly has unanimously voted in favor of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide in July, submitted to the National Assembly by the French Government. The text of the bill “Criminalizing the denial of genocides and crimes against humanity” was published on June 29 and envisages imprisonment of one year or a fine amounting 45.000 euros for the denial of the Armenian Genocide. There were some MPs who said the provision on criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial must be removed from the bill, but the Armenian community has carried out works and reached to the point in order to submit the option which has been adopted in summer and included the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide denial to the Senate’s discussion.