December 10, 2014 - 15:05 AMT
St. Petersburg Armenians urge to criminalize Genocide denial

The St. Petersburg Armenians regional NGO issued an official statement to Russia’s State Duma urging to introduce clauses criminalizing public denial of the Armenian Genocide into legal acts.

As St. Petersburg Armenians Bulleting told PanARMENIAN.Net, the articles will supposedly be introduced into Russia's Criminal Code, Procedural Criminal Code, and Administrative Violations Code.

On April 14, 1995, Russia’s State Duma adopted a resolution condemning the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1922, expressing sympathy to the Armenian people and recognizing April 24 as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Genocide.

The Parliament of Greece on September 9, 2014 adopted a bill that criminalizes the denial of the Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity.

Greece becomes the third European country after Switzerland and Slovakia to adopt such a measure.

The bill known as “Fight against Xenophobia” envisions bringing criminal charges for denial of the genocides of not only Jews, but also Armenians and Pontus Greeks. The bill stipulates heavy fines and imprisonment terms for individuals who publicly deny genocides and other crimes against humanity that are recognized by the Greek Parliament and international courts.