The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) will show determination in getting the RA Parliament to consider a bill that provides for punishment for denying the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey. That said Hrair Gasparyan, member of the ARF Executive Council and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs.

According to him, the bill is not only of criminal and moral importance, but of political importance too: “Many European countries where relevant laws are in effect cannot understand why Armenia itself has not such a law,” Karapetyan said. He pointed out that the ARF agreed to the postponement of consideration to come to terms with the Government, as the Parliament’s rejecting the bill will have extremely negative consequences for the international recognition of the Genocide. “But, I say again, the ARF will show determination,” Karapetyan said.

Samvel Nikoyan, the Vice-Speaker of the RA Parliament and member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), said: “Are there any people denying the Armenian Genocide in our society? If not, we do not need such a law. If we adopt such a law, they abroad may think that there is a tendency toward Genocide denial in Armenia. Also, imagine the bill is on the agenda, and heated debate over it takes place, what will be the comments by the international community, Turkey and Azerbaijan. So I do not think it is necessary to put such documents on the agenda and discuss them.”

The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, RA Parliament, postponed the consideration of the ARF-submitted bill for 90 days.

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