Francois Hollande: We must not deviate from the way of criminalizing  the denial of the Genocide

ArmInfo."We must not deviate from the way of criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide," French President Francois Hollande said at the event on the occasion of the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, organized by the  Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations of France (CCAF) in Paris. On April 24, French President Francois Hollande, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, heads of the Coordination Council of Armenian Organizations of France.

High-ranking officials and representatives of the Armenian community  visited the monument to Komitas in Canada Square in Paris, where they  participated in the ceremony of commemoration of the victims of the  Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

"I am here to silently commemorate the victims of the Armenian  Genocide." Today we must make a call for civil mobilization and  vigilance. The struggle for memory is our main action, it is a  struggle against historical distortions. "Great minds have been  against genocide for 100 years." France agrees with the Armenian  People that I proved by my visit to Armenia, only historical truth  can unite, I must say that we must not deviate from the way of  criminalizing the denial of the Genocide. Denial is not an opinion,  it is a denial of the truth," said President Francois Hollande. He  noted that France should constantly tell Turkey that there was a  Genocide, which should be recognized. "Since this year, every year  since April 24, schools will hold a week of research and genocide  studies," Hollande said. "As president, I have always watched that  France never avoided its obligations. You know that we are bound by  an indivisible friendship and this is a brotherly relationship," the  head of the French Republic said.

Those present led by Holland laid flowers at the monument to Komitas.  On April 24, Armenians around the world and the progressive part of  the world community recall the victims of the first Genocide of the  20th century. For today, more than two dozen countries of the world  have recognized the Armenian Genocide.  The first to recognize the  Armenian Genocide was Uruguay, further Argentina, Russia, Belgium,  the Vatican, Venezuela, Greece, Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Lebanon,  Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, France, Chile, Switzerland,  Sweden, Bolivia, Germany and several other countries. It is  noteworthy that Switzerland, Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus also passed  laws on the criminalization of the denial of the Armenian Genocide.  The bill on the criminalization of the Armenian Genocide is also  submitted to the French parliament and it is under consideration. The  Council of Europe, the European Parliament, the UN Subcommission on  the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, the UN  Commission on War Crimes, and the World Council of Churches, also  recognized the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide was also  recognized by New South Wales (Australia), Sicily, Sao Paulo, Ceara  and Parana (Brazil), Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Great  Britain), Basque Country, Catalonia, Balearic Islands (Spain), two  dozen Spanish cities, Quebec (Canada), Kiev, Uzhgorod, Izyum,  Goloseevsky district (Ukraine), Crimea, Karkhajent, Alakuas and Elda,  as well as most US states. -