PARIS. – French Senators Philippe Kaltenbach and Luc Carvounas, who are going to defend the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide from the Socialists, stated that rejection of the text by the Senate Commission on the Constitution does not anticipate outcome of the voting to be held on Jan. 23, Nouvelles d`Arménie reports.

“We are not against the Turkish government. Moreover, we are not holding a pre-election campaign. We want to continue what was launched 10 years ago by the law adoption in 2011 on the 1915 Armenian Genocide,” Senator from Val de Marne Luc Carvounas said.

Both Senators stated that the rejection of the bill represented by the UMP MP Valerie Boyer by the Commission does not shadow voting to be held on Jan. 23.

To note, the bill, passed by the French National Assembly on Dec. 22, 2011 and causing diplomatic crisis between Ankara and Paris, will be voted in the Senate on Jan.23. It intends a year of imprisonment or €45,000 fine for the denial of the genocides, adopted by the French legislation.