Azerbaijani ruling party accuse France of disregard of human rights and freedoms

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 23 / Trend M.Aliyev / France expressed disregard for human rights and freedoms by adopting such a law (criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian Genocide"), deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, MP Ali Ahmedov said at a meeting of Milli Majlis (Parliament) on Friday. Ahmedov estimated a decision of France's National Assembly as illegal and unfair pressure under Turkey. "I hope that Azerbaijani citizens will express their wrath in this connection," he noted. "France is the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair on Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. If Paris regards facts and events in such a preconceived and biased way, involuntarily every Azerbaijani citizen, including me, draw appropriate conclusions from that. In consists of occurring serious doubts about relation of France's objectivity and fairness as the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group." Ahmedov said it all, including adoption of that bill by the National Assembly, once again should make Azerbaijani citizens think. "We appreciate every step directed against fraternal Turkey as an attempt against every Azerbaijani and Azerbaijan in whole," he added. On Thursday, the French parliament adopted a bill criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian Genocide". Some 45 out of 577 French MPs participated in the voting, 38 of which voted for, while 7 voted against the adoption of the bill. The bill envisages about one year imprisonment and a fine worth 45,000 euros for denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide". MPs from the French President's "Union for Popular Movement" (UMP) party which has the parliamentary majority, proposed a bill which aims at criminalizing denial of the so-called "Armenian genocide" to the legislative committee of the National Assembly in early December. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey - Ottoman Empire had committed the 1915 genocide against the Armenians living in Anadolu, and achieved recognition of the "Armenian Genocide" by the parliaments of some countries. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az