France’s Constitutional Council has thrown out the Armenian genocide denial bill as unconstitutional. The bill was rejected on the grounds that it violates the freedom of expression, the Council said in a statement.

On January 23, the French lawmakers approved the bill which says that the public denial of any genocide, including Holocaust and the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire, as a crime carrying a one-year prison term or a 45,000-euro fine.

Turkey welcomed the council’s decision and voiced hope for the resumption of political, economic and military ties with France, which have been suspended since the bill won parliamentary approval.

Source: The Voice of Russia