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French genocide law 'unconstitutional', rules top court French genocide law: President Sarkozy orders new draft
(40 minutes later)
A top French judicial body has ruled a law backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy making it illegal to deny the Armenian genocide as unconstitutional as it infringes on freedom of expression. French President Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered his government to draft a new law punishing denial of the Armenian genocide after a top court struck down a previous bill.
The Constitutional Council earlier ruled the law backed by Mr Sarkozy infringed on freedom of expression.
The bill, which covers the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I, was passed by both houses of the French parliament.The bill, which covers the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I, was passed by both houses of the French parliament.
Turkey has welcomed the ruling by the Constitutional Council. Turkey has welcomed the ruling.
The legislation had strained relations between the two countries.The legislation had strained relations between the two countries.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the cabinet would meet to consider whether to restart economic, political and military contacts with France which were frozen after the French parliament passed the law on 23 January, Reuters reports. Noting the "great disappointment and profound sadness" of the law's backers, Mr Sarkozy's office wrote in a statement: "The President of the Republic considers that [genocide] denial is intolerable and must therefore be punished. He has asked the government to prepare a new draft taking into account the decision of the Constitutional Council."
France's Constitutional Council said in its ruling that "by punishing anyone contesting the existence of... crimes that MPs themselves recognised or qualified as such, MPs committed an unconstitutional attack on freedom of expression", it said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the cabinet would meet to consider whether to restart economic, political and military contacts with France which were frozen after the French parliament passed the law on 23 January, Reuters news agency reports.
France already recognises the killings as an act of genocide, but the new bill would have meant that anyone denying it faced a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($57,000). France's Constitutional Council said in its ruling that "by punishing anyone contesting the existence of... crimes that MPs themselves recognised or qualified as such, MPs committed an unconstitutional attack on freedom of expression".
France already recognises the killings as an act of genocide, but the new law would have meant that anyone denying it faced a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros ($57,000).
Armenia says up to 1.5 million people died in 1915-16 as the Ottoman empire split. Turkey, which rejects the term "genocide", has said the number of deaths was much smaller.Armenia says up to 1.5 million people died in 1915-16 as the Ottoman empire split. Turkey, which rejects the term "genocide", has said the number of deaths was much smaller.
Defenders of the bill argued it covered all acts of genocide.Defenders of the bill argued it covered all acts of genocide.