Marseille Mayor, Union for a Popular Movement representative Jean-Claude Gaudin commented on the French Constitutional Council’s ruling, announcing the bill penalizing Armenian Genocide denial unconstitutional.

“I share the disappointment and grief of those who promoted the bill. Genocide denial is unacceptable, and is not to be tolerated,” the Mayor said.

“I express solidarity with the Armenian community of France and welcome President’s Sakozy’s decision to redraft the bill,” Maritima INFOS quoted Gaudin as saying.

On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. If signed into law by the President, 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.

Turkey reacted furiously when the Senate approved the law. Ankara halted political and military cooperation with France and was threatening to cut off economic and cultural ties if the law took effect.

In a statement on February 28, Constitutional Council said the bill adopted by parliament on January 23 represented an “unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and communication.”