Right idea; wrong remedy.

Michael Coren points out that the French are about to make denial of the Armenian Genocide a criminal offense:

Oh, I just love this. The French intend to make public denial of the Armenian genocide a criminal offence. I don’t agree with this precise approach to the scandal, but I do applaud France for having long defended the Armenian people, and having not allowed the Turkish bullies to promote the vile lie that there was no genocide, and that the Armenians simply died under war conditions. There certainly was an attempted genocide, the Turks certainly did try to wipe out the Armenians, the event certainly did partly inspire Hitler, and for almost a century Turkey has been in organized denial, and various other nations have followed suit. What defies credulity now is that the Turks have accused the French of clamping down on free speech! This from a country that has more journalists in prison than any other on the face of the earth, and that has for generations assassinated writers, politicians, and activists who speak up for the Armenians. There are all sorts of reasons for Paris pursuing this latest project, and it has much to do with foreign policy as well as moral absolutes, but there cannot be a more hypocritical country than Turkey. While invading Kurdistan and killing thousands, they condemn Israel for defending its people. They occupy Cyprus, destroy Christian churches and holy places, kill male and female clergy, arrest military and political opponents on trumped up charges, and now lecture the civilized French on how to behave. Shame on them.

Yes, the Turks are jerks, but to criminalize the denial of a historical opinion is nothing less than Orwellian.

A better answer would be "more speech." If it's such a problem, the French government - or better still, a private foundation - should run commercials on public television educating the French about the Armenian Genocide.