French MP Henri Jibrayel described the debate of the bill criminalizing Armenian Genocide denial as their duty and not a legislative case.

Jibrayel slammed certain statements claiming that it is carried out in the framework of election campaign.

“I will vote for all my Armenian friends, thinking about Hrant Dink when voting,” he added.

Today, December 22, the French parliament is debating the bill, which envisages a year in jail and a fine of 45,000 euros for those who publicly deny the Armenian Genocide in France.

Turkey has piled pressure on France to drop the law ahead of the vote, with President Abdullah Gul and a Turkish delegation to Paris warning its adoption will spark a diplomatic crisis and have economic consequences.