What Evin spoke about.

13 Feb

2023

EN Speech

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

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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

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

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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…

18 Jan

2023

EN Speech

Terrorist threats posed by far-right extremist networks defying the democratic constitutional order (debate)

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Madam President, Commissioner, Minister, democracy is in danger. The coup d’état attempt in Germany in December by far—right extremists goes back decades in history. This development has not happened over one night. It hasn’t happened over a week. It has happened step by step. We Social Democrats, have been warning for this development for a long while. Conservatives and, unfortunately, also some …

17 Jan

2023

EN Speech

EU response to the protests and executions in Iran (debate)

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Madam President, the words ‘woman’, ‘life’ and ‘freedom’ embody liberty. Liberty for all people is achieved through real actions. It is now time to consign the brutal regime of Iran to the dustbin of history. The words of the international community are not enough anymore, though. Actions are crucial if we want to stop delaying the moment of freedom. The EU must designate the IRGC as a terrorist o…

17 Jan

2023

SV Speech

Presentation of the programme of activities of the Swedish Presidency (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. Commissioner, thank you very much. Mr Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson! At a time when anxiety has settled in every cell of our time, and the future seems uncertain, it makes me think of Prime Minister Olof Palme's words: “Society is the work of man. If something is wrong, we can change it.” Colleagues! Every week, at least 50 women are murdered in the EU. Let i…

15 Dec

2022

EN Speech

The 30th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (debate)

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Madam President, colleagues, the rights of persons belonging to national, ethnic or religious and linguistic minorities are an essential part of fully fledged democracies. Their protection and rights are an integral part of upholding the universal human rights. But even after 30 years of the UN declaration, the EU and its Member States have a long way to go to ensure that minorities are protected,…

14 Dec

2022

EN Speech

The case of human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja in Bahrain

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Madam President, imagine sitting at home years after years, hoping and praying for your father, husband, or son to enjoy a dinner with you, or just being able to have a good laugh together. These simple things might not be dreams for us, but they are dreams for many people in Bahrain. The family of the Danish—Bahraini citizen Abdulhadi Al—Khawaja has over a decade dreamt what we take for granted. …

13 Dec

2022

EN Speech

Turkish airstrikes on northern Syria and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (debate)

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Mr President, the memory of the international community seems to be short. The EU is once again silent while crimes of atrocity against Kurds are taking place. Turkey’s bombs have been falling down on the Rojava region of Syria and the Kurdistan region of Iraq. It is the same Kurds that have sacrificed their lives for also our freedom here in the EU in the struggle against terrorism. Turkey’s bomb…

13 Dec

2022

EN Speech

Prospects for the two-State solution for Israel and Palestine (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, peace must be the ultimate goal wherever a conflict appears. Freedom must be the ultimate goal wherever an occupation exists. Life must be the ultimate goal where death is ever-present. But yet, over half a century has passed with a total lack of progress in getting close to ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine. 2022 has become the deadliest year for Palestinians in…

23 Nov

2022

EN Speech

The Human rights situation in Afghanistan especially the deterioration of women´s rights and attacks against educational institutions

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Mr President, since 15 August 2021, when the Taliban stole power in Afghanistan, the situation in the country has deteriorated quickly, in particular the situation for women and girls, and especially for minority groups such as the Hazara. The extremist Taliban group initiated their rule by appointing an all-male cabinet, which they call a government. For me, as a social Democrat and a feminist, i…

23 Nov

2022

EN Speech

Eliminating violence against Women (debate)

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Madam President, all across Europe and beyond women and girls are victims of gender—based violence. Still, in the year 2022, it seems to be a crime to be born female, because otherwise why would our freedom be violated and why would we need to pay the ultimate price, with our lives? Frankly, I am tired of us women and girls needing, year after year, to demand an end to the deadly violence. In the …

22 Nov

2022

EN Speech

Promoting regional stability and security in the broader Middle East region (debate)

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Madam President, colleagues, while the first feminist revolution in the Middle East and the world continues to demand what should be a fact in Iran – democracy and human rights – while the brave women, girls and allies shout enough is enough, there are still many actions to demand from the international community. Sanction the murderous regime in Iran, including their families. Expel their so-call…

22 Nov

2022

EN Speech

2023 budgetary procedure: joint text (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, our Union and our Member States are not a desert island. So the development in one part of the world affects other parts of the world. In a time of global challenges, we therefore must ensure EU global leadership, an EU that not only take talks the talk about peace, human rights, freedom and security, but also walks the talk. Feminist economic policy is imperative for a g…

10 Nov

2022

EN Speech

Racial justice, non-discrimination and anti-racism in the EU (debate)

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Mr President, I’m not surprised that the far right here in the Parliament gave their intervention and just left this room. This shows what they stand for, and I’m not surprised that the far right are talking against this important report that demands action to end the human rights violations, to end racism that still exists in 2022 in our Union. It is actually their horrific ideology we are talkin…

10 Nov

2022

EN Speech

Racial justice, non-discrimination and anti-racism in the EU (debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, first and foremost I want to thank all the shadow rapporteurs for the very fruitful and successful discussions and agreements reached. I am happy that we will be able to say to all the people of our Union that they matter and that democratic political groups here in this parliament care. I am proud to be able to say that we are on the right side of history and that we do …

19 Oct

2022

SV Speech

Fighting sexualised violence - The importance of the Istanbul Convention and a comprehensive proposal for a directive against gender-based violence (debate)

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Madam President, thank you very much. Threats, horror, blows, murder. It'll never end. Year after year, decade after decade, century after century, in all societies, in all classes of society. Gender-based violence should have been relegated to history in a modern age like ours, but patriarchy is here and now and it wants something different. In the home, even in politics, in school, in the street…

19 Oct

2022

EN Speech

Whitewashing of the anti-European extreme right in the EU (topical debate)

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Mr President, colleagues, anti-democratic and anti-European extreme—right forces are being normalised by conservatives and liberals. The latest examples are in Sweden and Italy. We live in an era of access to information, but some seem to have forgotten their history. The history that we were supposed to prevent from repeating itself; the same history that led to the creation of the European Union…

18 Oct

2022

EN Speech

Recognising the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism (debate)

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Madam President, Madam Commissioner, colleagues, the Devil can only play God if we do not dare to call him the Devil. Well, we have a duty towards all people that have got their homes destroyed and all people that have been killed at the hands of Putin to call him out. Yes, through actions, but also through words, because words pave the way for actions. The Putin Russian regime is a terrorist stat…

18 Oct

2022

EN Speech

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023 - all sections (debate)

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Madam President, as the S&D shadow rapporteur for the AFET and DEVE opinions, I would like to stress the importance of continuing to be a strong voice for democracy, human rights, rule of law and equality, especially in these times of backlash in the EU and beyond. It is important that the EU enhances its financial support for international partner organisations and ensure contribution is also mad…

5 Oct

2022

EN Speech

The Dutch childcare benefit scandal, institutional racism and algorithms (debate)

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Mr President, this was racism embodied – racist when it goes from words to actions not by one person or a group, but structural and institutionalised. The Dutch childcare benefit scandal is a frightening example that reveals deep—rooted prejudice in our Union. The enormous consequence that the Dutch tax authority’s illegal, artificial intelligence—driven racial profiling had on them and how it imp…

4 Oct

2022

EN Speech

The death of Mahsa Amini and the repression of women's rights protesters in Iran (debate)

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Her name was Jina Mahsa Amini. A young Kurdish girl in Iran with her whole life ahead of her, deprived of her life by men and a regime who thinks they have the right to control women. For over 40 years, women, girls, minorities and opposition groups have lived in horror. The Iranian feminist revolution is a democratic revolution that is taking place right now. The autocratic regime might think tha…

4 Oct

2022

EN Speech

Situation of Roma people living in settlements in the EU (debate)

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Madam President, racism, discrimination in the labour market, forced evictions, marginalisation, hate speech – even by elected officials in this Parliament, even by Prime Ministers in our Union – racially motivated attacks, deprived of education. The list can be made long on the inhuman and degrading treatment of Roma people. According to the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, an estimated 80% of Roma …

14 Sep

2022

SV Speech

Human rights violations in the context of forced deportation of Ukrainian civilians to and forced adoption of Ukrainian children in Russia

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Madam President, thank you very much. It hurts when history is repeated in front of our eyes. Tools used by the dictatorships of communism and Nazism are being used today by Putin's regime against the Ukrainian people. Last week, we were reached by horrific reports that Russia forcibly adopted thousands of innocent Ukrainian children after stealing many of them from the arms of their parents, as a…

14 Sep

2022

SV Speech

Situation of fundamental rights in the EU in 2020 and 2021 (debate)

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Mr President, thank you very much. It goes downhill as extremists grow stronger and even faster as they sniff power. Then they are no longer afraid to show their true colors: women's rights, LGBTIQ rights, minority rights, free and independent judiciary and media freedom are some of the many things that smoke. After Sunday's election, my country, Sweden, is now leaning towards a mandate overweight…

14 Sep

2022

EN Speech

Existence of a clear risk of a serious breach by Hungary of the values on which the Union is founded (debate)

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I would not like to give the extremists any more time than they have already had, so no.