French Parliament denies freedom of speech on 'Armenian Genocide'

11.54.43am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 12th Oct 2006

Reacting to this morning's decision of the French National Assembly on Armenian 'genocide', Andrew Duff MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament's delegation to Turkey and Liberal Democrat Constitutional Affairs Spokesperson, said:

"This is a sad day for liberalism in France. The Assemblée Nationale has rejected the fundamental right of freedom of speech. It has acted in direct contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights on which basis the European Union is founded. For friends of France, this is a poignant moment.

"Who would have thought that it would be French deputies who would be the first in the 21st Century to reject the spirit of the Enlightenment. Voltaire must be spinning in his grave.

"France has done huge damage to EU-Turkey relations and, in passing, to Turkish relations with Armenia. Progressive forces in Turkey have been given a gratuitous blow. How can the EU expect Turkey to develop its laws and practice on freedom of speech when France, one of its founding members, is going in the opposite direction?

"Europe's friends in Turkey should not despair. The French Sénat should throw out this Bill. But the Strasbourg Court of Human Rights should get ready to review the measure should it, unfortunately, pass."

END