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Armenians push prison time for `genocide´ deniers in France

France’s Armenian lobby is stepping up efforts to pass a law that would punish “genocide” deniers with prison time, ahead of April 24, the commemoration date for the so-called genocide.

Armenian organizations in France announced on Monday that the law proposing prison time will be brought by the Socialist Party to the French Parliament floor for debate on May 18.

In accordance with the French Parliament’s 2001 recognition of Armenian genocide claims, the law could punish “genocide” deniers with up to a year behind bars

Although under the French Constitution the government is responsible for the preparation of laws, political party groups can make limited suggestions during special gatherings a few times a year. It will be the Socialist Party’s turn to outline the agenda of the May 18 gathering. These special gatherings are also called window meetings.

The Socialist Party has reportedly assured the Armenian lobby that it will bring the issue up for debate during the window gathering.

Bill previously submitted to Parliament

The bill to give prison time to “genocide” deniers was first brought to the French Parliament last year.

Socialist Party Deputies Christophe Masse, Rene Rouquet, Jean-Yves Le Bouillonnec, Martine David and Didier Migaud opened the bill to party members’ signature and after getting nearly all of them, it was submitted to Parliament last June. Socialist Party leader Francois Hollande is also among the supporters of the bill.

At the time of these developments, some French scholars suggested the bill be withdrawn, claiming that it would limit freedom of thought and expression in France since it would punish people because of their beliefs and thoughts.

President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, whose images are tattered following the riots against controversial labor law reforms, are not expected to take a firm stance on the bill, which boosts its chance of being passed.

Ankara and Yerevan are at odds over the Armenian claims of genocide. To break the deadlock, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan last year suggested the establishment of a committee of Turkish and Armenian historians to study the claims, in a letter sent to the Armenian President Robert Kocharian. But Kocharian refused Erdogan’s proposal, saying that the two countries must first establish diplomatic relations and that committees could be formed only within the process of normalization of relations.

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