France's top constitutional authority annuls law on Armenian allegations on incidents of 1915

PARIS (A.A) - France's top constitutional authority on Tuesday ruled to cancel a law that makes it a crime to deny Armenian allegations on the incidents of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire. The French Constitutional Council ruled in favor of an appeal by a number of French senators and MPs who said the law was a violation of the constitution and the freedom of thought and expression. Approval of the law by the French parliament had almost brought relations between Turkey and France to a standstill and it had drawn fierce criticisms from French historians and intellectuals as well. The law penalizes denial of the Armenian allegations with one-year prison term and fine of 45 thousand euros.