Armenian lawmakers pass motion of thanks to Greek colleagues for criminalization of genocide denial

YEREVAN, September 10. /ARKA/. Members of the Armenian parliament expressed on Wednesday their gratitude to their Greek colleagues for the recent criminalization of denial of the genocides against Armenians and Greeks.

The motion of thanks was proposed by the speaker Galust Sahakyan.

The parliament of Greece adopted on Tuesday a bill that envisioned criminal charges for xenophobia and denial of genocide of not only Jews, but also of Armenians and Pontus Greeks.

According to the country’s ministry of justice, one of the aims is to harmonize the legislation as required by the EU framework decision of 2008, Novosti-Armenia reported referring to RIA Novosti.

The vote passed by 54 to 42 with three abstentions. Apart from the government coalition, the bill was supported by Democratic Left (DIMAR) party and a couple of individual MPs. The left wing of the opposition voted against or abstained saying the bill aims at narrow party interests. The communist party said the new bill is a way to criminalize labour movements and communism under the guise of fight against racism. Far-right Golden Dawn party voted against the bill claiming it can be used for punishing not only nationalists, but anyone unhappy with the government.

The bill stipulates fines (from 5,000 to 100,000 euros) and imprisonment terms (from three months to five years) for xenophobia, racism, denial of genocides and other crimes against humanity that are recognized by the Greek Parliament and international courts.

The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the twentieth century. Turkey has been denying it for decades. The Armenian genocide was recognized by tens of countries. The first was Uruguay that did so in 1965. Other nations are Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, 42 U.S. states. The Armenian Genocide was recognized by the Vatican, the European Parliament, the World Council of Churches and other international organizations. -0-