What Maria spoke about.

5

Oct

2021

FR Speech

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The situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, the repression in Belarus has not stopped and has even increased in recent days. However, many initiatives have been taken to address this situation of lawlessness, but this is not enough. The sanctions mechanism imposed on the regime and its funding affiliates must be stronger, clearer and broader. It is also imperative that the European Union step up its action on the…

16

Sep

2021

FR Speech

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The situation in Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya

Madam President, Kyazike Reginah, who is a resident of the Kakuma refugee camp, was one of the people in Block 13 who were first awakened in their sleep by the sound of gunfire on 16 August. An hour later, it is the flames, the smell of fire and gasoline, that wake them up again in this camp, block 13. The next day, realising that they had nowhere to go, no shelter or protection, while the crimina…

16

Sep

2021

FR Speech

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The case of human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor in UAE

Madam President, Commissioner, today’s urgency regarding Ahmed Mansoor, who is called the last human rights defender in the United Arab Emirates and who has been languishing in a desert prison since 2017, allows us to highlight the issue of human rights in the United Arab Emirates. Human Rights Watch widely documents human rights abuses in the United Arab Emirates. Arbitrary arrests of lawyers, ju…

16

Sep

2021

FR Speech

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Government crackdown on protests and citizens in Cuba

Madam President, are we experiencing human rights violations in Cuba? Yes, yes. Is there a shrinking of the area of freedom of expression in Cuba? Yes, yes. Are there laws today that are liberticidal laws in Cuba? Yes, yes. Unfortunately, this is not the only country where we live this reality and we obviously have to condemn them. We must give this message to the Cuban government that it is neces…

14

Sep

2021

FR Speech

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A new EU-China strategy (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, first of all, I would like to thank Hilde for the outstanding and excellent work she has done in her report. This report does indeed give prominence to the issue of human rights in our relationship between the European Union and China. When we talk about human rights with China, we understand the gap between a European model and a Chinese model. Forced labour, re-edu…

14

Sep

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Afghanistan (debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, if we are sincere with what we claim to be defending today, namely the European values of human rights, I think there is only one priority: solidarity. Solidarity with Afghan women and men threatened by the Taliban regime today. Protecting those seeking asylum in Europe through a coordinated reception plan. Protect those who will remain in Afghanistan, most…

8

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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The death penalty in Saudi Arabia, notably the cases of Mustafa Hashem al-Darwish and Abdullah al-Howaiti

Mr President, since 2011, the Specialised Criminal Court of Saudi Arabia has been used as a tool of repression to silence any form of expression of dissent. Those who have been convicted by this Court include human rights defenders, clerics, human rights activists, indicted for some of the crimes punishable by the death penalty, for simply peacefully expressing their views. Today, indeed, the King…

8

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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Hong Kong, notably the case of Apple Daily

Madam President, the arrest of the founder of Jimmy Lai and the cessation of the publication of the newspaper is another blow, and my colleague Bütikofer has listed all the difficulties faced today by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong. Arbitrary arrests of journalists and peaceful protesters in recent years are obviously inadmissible, as is the new law today at the electoral level in Hong Kong.…

8

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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The case of Ahmadreza Djalali in Iran

Madam President, as has been said, Iran is the country that executes the most per capita, and it is not the election of Mr Raisi that will give us guarantees of easing the situation. It is therefore important to give strong messages from the European Union. Already in 2019, we voted on a resolution calling for the release of prisoners of conscience. In December 2020, in another resolution calling …

8

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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Labour rights in Bangladesh (continuation of debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, it is true that Bangladesh, as has been said, is the sewing workshop of the world. Ready-to-wear accounts for 84% of its exports, mainly to the European Union. The Rana Plaza has shown the world the undersides of the so-called fast fashion which, in disrespect of social and environmental rights, has built a modern form of slavery. Today, the minimum wage for women in th…

8

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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Announcement of voting results

Mr President, we said yesterday in plenary that what we voted on the comprehensive human rights sanctions mechanism is not called the Magnitsky Act. Today, however, I still see in the announcement of the results that what you call the vote concerns the Magnitsky Act. I sent an email to the EP services to correct, and I see again that the title is the same. I therefore call for this correction beca…

6

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Tigray, Ethiopia (continuation of debate)

Mr President, since the beginning of the conflict in Tigray in Ethiopia eight months ago, more than 400 000 people have plunged into famine today and more than 1.5 million people are at risk of starvation. It is one of the worst humanitarian crises in the region in the last decade. You have both said this, both to the Council and to the Commission: the first priority is, of course, respect for the…

6

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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EU global human rights sanctions regime (EU Magnitsky Act) (debate)

Madam President, it is true that this may seem a bit special, as this general mechanism of sanctions for serious human rights violations was a request from the European Parliament. And already, we are in the process of wanting to make changes or asking for more. First of all, I would like to say that the European Parliament welcomed this general regime of sanctions for serious human rights violati…

6

Jul

2021

FR Speech

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Situation in Nicaragua (debate)

Madam President, Mr High Representative, April 2018 was the beginning of civil demonstrations in Nicaragua and since then the violent repression has only increased and the human rights situation is extremely worrying: persecution of all political opponents, journalists, NGOs, but also indigenous communities. Anyone who opposes the government today is at risk of imprisonment or worse. We are now in…