The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled earlier today that denial of the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 as genocide constitutes “freedom of expression”.
The ruling comes after a Turkish politician was charged by Swiss courts for publically labelling the mass killings an “international lie” and brought his appeal before the European court.
The ECHR ruling stated that
"the free exercise of the right to openly discuss questions of a sensitive and controversial nature is one of the fundamental aspects of freedom of expression and distinguishes a tolerant and pluralistic democratic society from a totalitarian or dictatorial regime".
The Swiss court had originally found the defendant, Dogu Perincek, guilty of racial discrimination.
Last year Slovakia affirmed its recognition of the Armenian genocide, stating that denial of it was punishable under by law. France attempted to pass a bill that would criminalise the denial of the Armenian genocide, but it was struck down.