France eyes Armenian 'genocide' despite Turkey's warnings

France's parliament is due to debate a bill that would make it a crime to deny that the killing of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during WWI was genocide. Those publicly denying the genocide would face a year in jail and fine of 45,000 euros (£29:000: $58,000).

Armenians say up to 1.5m people were killed by the Ottoman Turks in 1915. Turkey rejects that figure and the genocide description, and has warned France of "serious repercussions" if the bill becomes law.

Ankara says closer to 300,000 people died, and that Turks were also killed when Armenians rose up against the Ottoman Empire when Russian troops invaded eastern Anatolia, now eastern Turkey.


/bbc.co/