Armenian genocide bill 'betrays history': Turkish deputy PM

ISTANBUL - Agence France-Presse

Bülent Arınç. AA photo

A French bill making the denial of Armenian claims a criminal offence was a "betrayal of history", Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Thursday.

"I condemn the French parliament, which passed this bill meaning betrayal of history and historical truth," Arinc said on his Twitter account.

"The French parliament... dimmed out history and truth by approving the bill," he added.

Arinc accused the French lawmakers backing the bill of "bringing back the Inquisition", and he said the legislation was "evil-minded".

France's lower house of parliament approved the bill, which makes it a crime to deny that 1915 events amounted to a genocide during World War I.

Turkey has recalled its ambassador from Paris in protest.

The French Senate will now consider the draft law.