Series of votes on amendments to the bill penalizing Armenian Genocide denial are under way at French Senate.

With a vote of 81 YES and 171 NO, the Senate voted down the second motion of the day - which was against passage of the law criminalizing Genocide denial.

If passed and signed into law by the Senate, the bill would impose a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire.