What Evin spoke about.

15

Jun

2023

EN Speech

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Call for a European strategy to counter hostage diplomacy (debate)

Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, to take innocent people hostage by arbitrarily detaining them and threatening them with execution is unacceptable, a violation of all kinds of rules and bases of international law. It is evident that the EU Member States, at this moment, unfortunately, do not have enough leverage to combat this practice. We cannot let ourselves be put in a situation where we…

14

Jun

2023

EN Speech

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Torture and criminal prosecution of Ukrainian minors Tihran Ohannisian and Mykyta Khanhanov by the Russian Federation

Madam President, colleagues, it is horrible how someone can prosecute and torture minors. No one with a right mind would even think of committing such a crime. But then again, Putin is a tyrant and doesn’t see any limits. Two innocent Ukrainian minors – Tihran and Mykyta – are facing charges under the Russian regime. Born in 2006, these young boys are now confronted with up to 20 years in prison w…

14

Jun

2023

EN Speech

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Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware - Investigation of the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (draft recommendation) (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, it is unbelievable how spyware programs are being used against innocent people. Imagine a spyware program that, in secrecy, reads your messages, listens to your phone calls, collects your passwords, follows your every move, has access to your microphone – and camera for that sake – and steals information from your phone. Well, since some time back, we know that we do not …

31

May

2023

EN Speech

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Order of business

Madam President, we were actually asking for the floor in case the Left would put forward their proposal. But since they withdraw, we will also withdraw ours and then we will come back to it during the next session.…

10

May

2023

EN Speech

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Myanmar, notably the dissolution of democratic political parties

Madam President, colleagues, I must say that I am very shocked and it is a shame that the EPP Group refused to take part in the negotiations of this very important resolution and that they have been refusing to take part in the discussion. And this while the people of Myanmar are suffering. The political situation in Myanmar brings to light how fragile democratic development is. The claws of the m…

9

May

2023

EN Question

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – EU accession: institutions and public administration of the Union - Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - EU accession: judicial cooperation in criminal matters, asylum and non-refoulement (debate)

Madam President, I think it’s tragic that on the extreme right side there are a bunch of men who are telling us women that the Istanbul Convention doesn’t have any effect on our lives, on saving our lives, while on this side, on the left and centre side, on the bench, we are a bunch of women and allies who are clearly saying we need to do everything that we can to save women and girls all around t…

9

May

2023

EN Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence – EU accession: institutions and public administration of the Union - Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence - EU accession: judicial cooperation in criminal matters, asylum and non-refoulement (debate)

Madam President, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I can continue until I reach over 50 before I stop, because that’s how many women that are killed in domestic violence in Europe every week. That is how many lives that are extinguished every day. Their crime: just because they are born female. For all those women and girls and for all survivors, we have a responsibility t…

9

May

2023

EN Speech

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Discharge 2021 (continuation of debate)

Madam President, colleagues, it’s essential that we ensure that all our finances are used in a correct way. No single cent should go where it shouldn’t go to and every single cent should go to the purpose. All our efforts should therefore go to ensuring this. However, I am amazed how some people in this Parliament has made it their purpose in life to spread disinformation and year after year bring…

19

Apr

2023

SV Speech

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Repression in Russia, in particular the cases of Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny

Madam President, thank you very much. Putin's claws are getting longer and longer, pushing deeper and deeper. While he is currently guilty of crimes against humanity in Ukraine, he is trying to stifle opposition figures into silence in Russia. The sentencing of human rights activist Vladimir Kara-Murza and the treatment of democracy activist Alexei Navalny are disgusting. I admire the champions of…

19

Apr

2023

SV Speech

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Universal decriminalization of homosexuality, in light of recent developments in Uganda (debate)

Mr President, thank you very much. whereas the attacks against LGBTIQ people in Uganda are an attack on human rights and freedoms; Love should be free and no one should ever be forced to refrain from expressing their feelings to another human being. Life in prison for expressing your love for another human being is beyond comprehension. In Uganda, it even means the death penalty in some cases. Att…

18

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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EU relations with Iraq (debate)

Madam President, colleagues, peace, security, stability, prosperity, human rights, equality and unity in Iraq are vital objectives. The people in the country have suffered for long, previously by a dictator and currently by division. We should also have in mind that the danger posed by ISIS has not totally vanished. A positive development in Iraq is crucial for the people in the country to at last…

18

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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Guidelines for the 2024 budget - Section III (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, let’s talk the talk so that we can walk the walk. Let’s talk about the challenges that the EU and the whole world is facing – attacks on fundamental rights, including on women, LGBTQI and minority rights; dismantling of democracy; violation of international law; climate emergency; poverty and hunger; conflicts. The challenges are many, but human beings created the current…

17

Apr

2023

EN Speech

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Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System - Monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport - Carbon border adjustment mechanism - Social Climate Fund - Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System for aviation (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, Commissioner, the next time you turn your head up towards the blue sky and white clouds and are stroked by its beauty, the next time you wander around in the forest to find yourself admiring creatures and the greenery surrounding you, the next time you breathe in fresh air, remember what we might, with our current behaviour and lack of actions, deprive generations after u…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Iran: in particular the poisoning of hundreds of school girls

Mr President, into this debate I am taking the words of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Shirin Ebadi, who was with us today. Speak to your respective Foreign Affairs Minister on how to listen to the people in Iran. I would have loved to do that but, unfortunately, the Swedish Presidency, so to say, the Swedish Government just left. I therefore want, however, to turn to the Swedish government through…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Women activism – human rights defenders related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) (debate)

Madam President, colleagues, banning abortion is not saving anyone, as the ultra-conservatives here in Parliament are claiming. It is rather depriving women and girls their lives. Sexual reproductive health and rights are an essential part of ensuring women’s emancipation. Women are literally dying because of lack of access to sexual reproductive health and rights right now, even in our own Union.…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Women activism – human rights defenders related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) (debate)

My question concerns Izabela, who was deprived of her life last summer in Poland because of no access to abortion. She was pregnant, but everybody in the healthcare system knew that the child that she was carrying would not make it. But even if they knew that, the legislation in Poland didn’t allow them to help her, didn’t allow them to save her life. My question is to you, as talking so harshly a…

15

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Women activism – human rights defenders related to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) (debate)

I would like to ask a question that concerns Izabela, who died last summer in Poland. Let’s talk about who is defending who. What would you say to the family of Izabela who lost her life? She knew that the child that she was carrying would not make it. But even if they all knew, there in the healthcare system, that the child that she was caring would not make it, they were not allowed to give her …

14

Mar

2023

EN Speech

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Deterioration of democracy in Israel and consequences on the occupied territories (debate)

Mr President, colleagues, history will judge us not based on our thoughts, but merely on our actions. The Israeli democracy is right now at stake, it is in danger. And the international community, this includes the EU, has an obligation to act in defence of the people. Democracy, rule of law and human rights are not up for negotiation. It is about respect for international law. So to the colleague…

15

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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The erosion of the rule of law in Greece: the wiretapping scandal and media freedom (topical debate)

Madam President, Greece embodies many of the challenges we are facing right now. I am always amazed by how short a memory we human beings have. We live in an era when we cannot expect progress in the fields of democracy, human rights and rule of law anymore, because all energy goes to defending previous battles that have been won. Our MEP colleagues from Nea Demokratia are asking why we asked for …

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Response to the situation in Tunisia (debate)

Mr President, the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa brought light into the tunnel for the people that were suffering under dictatorships. However, the light went out as quickly as it appeared, but in one place it remained, Tunisia. I remember it very well when walking around in the streets of Tunis, after the regime of the dictator Ben Ali fell. I remember it also very well in the di…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession (continuation of debate)

I’m not going to say I’m shocked because I’m not shocked about what is coming from the far right, but I’m getting a bit tired of the constant demonisation of migrants and people of certain colours. Well, when you are standing up there, the only thing that you are doing is trying to undermine constantly the work against gender—based violence, against the violence that is occurring against women and…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession (continuation of debate)

To combat gender-based violence is not any kind of poetry or anything. It is real. Women and girls are being deprived of their lives. Either we can send a clear message that we take the situation seriously or we can just play that we live on another planet and not do anything. We know that, unfortunately, there are too many countries within the European Union that don’t have sufficient legislation…

14

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence: EU accession (continuation of debate)

Madam President, 50 women per week. 2600 women per year are murdered in domestic violence. While this horrific violence takes place in Europe, we are discussing whether or not we should ratify the most important regional legislation to combat violence against women and domestic violence: The Istanbul Convention. For a union that claims to stand up for all peoples fundamental rights. This is a sham…

13

Feb

2023

EN Speech

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EU response to the humanitarian situation following the earthquake in Türkiye and Syria (debate)

Madam President, Commissioner, colleagues, my thoughts are with all those affected by the earthquakes. One week has passed since the earthquakes deprived thousands of people in Turkey and Syria, especially in the Kurdish regions, of their lives and millions of people of their safety and security, among them many of my family members. The force of nature is strong. But let’s not fool ourselves that…

18

Jan

2023

SV Speech

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Criminalisation of humanitarian assistance, including search and rescue (debate)

Mr President, thank you very much. Colleagues! “All people are born free and equal in value and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards each other in a spirit of community.” As stated in Article 1 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I wonder how the criminalisation of saving lives at sea goes hand in hand with the need to act in a spirit of community…