The French Senate has voted in favour of a proposal to dismiss a bill proposing that anyone who denies claims that Armenians were subjected to "genocide" at the hands of the Ottoman Empire will be punished, Today's Zaman reported.
The proposal was enacted with 196 votes in favor and 74 votes against.
The French Parliament recognized the so-called "Armenian genocide" in 2001, which resulted in short-lived tension between France and Turkey. In 2006 the French National Assembly adopted a bill proposing a punishment for anyone who denies the "Armenian genocide". However, it needed to be passed by the Senate in order to be enforced. The bill was debated at the Senate's plenary session recently as a result of efforts by a group of Socialists.