Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Friday, October 14 hailed the French Senate's decision to criminalize the denial of the Armenian Genocide.

1.5 million Armenians were murdered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923, hundreds of thousands were forced out of the country.

"We welcome the Senate's move to approve the draft law adopted by the National Assembly back in summer," a Foreign Ministry statement said.

According to the Armenian foreign office, France thus reiterates its role in fighting denial of genocides and preventing the recurrence of new crimes against humanity.

The French Senate on Friday approved a draft law criminalizing the denial of the Genocide.