FRANCE TO RULE ON ARMENIAN LAW LATE FEBRUARY

Feb 3 2012
Turkey

The council was set to appoint a rapporteur from among its nine
members in a few days to make a preliminary evaluation in the case.

France’s highest constitutional authority is expected to pass a ruling
late February or early March on a law that makes it a crime to deny
Armenian allegations on Ottoman era incidents of 1915.

Sources close to the issue told the Anadolu Agency that the
Constitutional Council would deliver a ruling on February 29 or March
1 about the law that makes denial of Armenian allegations punishable
with a prison term of one-year and a fine of 45 thousand euros.

The council was set to appoint a rapporteur from among its nine
members in a few days to make a preliminary evaluation in the case.

At least seven members need to concur for to make a binding decision
in the council as analysts have said all nine members would oppose
to the law.

If the council annuls the law, the French government would only have
a week to present a new bill as the French parliament is scheduled
to go on recess on March 9 due to upcoming presidential elections
with first tour in April.

Sixty-five French MPs and 77 senators had appealed to the
Constitutional Council to contest the law on its constitutional merits.

The council may reject a law altogether, or approve it entirely
or partially.