Parlamento Europeo / Premio Sájarov

Secretary-general of 2005 Sakharov Prize Laureate Reporters Without Borders Christophe Deloire was the key speaker at a public debate on the issue of fake news, freedom of speech and trust in the relationship between politicians, media and citizens at European Parliament's Open Day in Brussels on 5 May 2018. Mr. Deloire's Deputy Antoine Bernard covered the same topic at the Open Day celebrated in Strasbourg on 10 June 2018.

For more than ten years, the European Parliament has been screening one of the films of the One World Festival, a human rights documentary festival organised by Czech NGO People in Need in Prague and in Brussels. This year's film was 'Women of the Venezuelan Chaos', an intimate portrait of five women facing scarcity and disorder in Venezuela. The screening, introduced by Member of Parliament Beatriz Becerra, was followed by a panel comprising the film director, a member of the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a representative of the 2017 Sakharov Prize Laureate, the Venezuelan Opposition.

In an official trip to Eastern DRC, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides visited the clinic of 2014 Sakharov Laureate Denis Mukwege. The trip was a prelude to a donor's conference hosted by the EU, the Dutch government and the UN. The goal of the conference is to raise international aid for the DRC amounting to 1.7 billion USD. The government of the DRC has refused to take part in the donors' conference. "We are governed by people who do not love us", said Dr Mukwege. The doctor reported that the number of victims of sexual violence in Eastern DRC has increased since 2016, with a surge of violence against children.

The European Parliament launches a new Sakharov Fellowship with the aim of developing human rights defenders' capacities, raising awareness of the Sakharov Prize, and promoting its values. The idea for this initiative was born at the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize.

The Sakharov Fellowship will give up to ten human rights defenders selected from non-EU countries the opportunity to follow a two week intensive programme in human rights, based at the European Parliament in Brussels and the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) in Venice.

In the Brussels section of the programme Fellows will focus on issues such as accessing funding for human rights defenders, developing communications skills, and the EU's policies and tools in support of human rights defenders.  There will also be the opportunity to network with MEPs, officials of the EU institutions and Brussels-based NGOs. 

In Venice, Fellows will attend the EIUC's Venice School of Human Rights.  This summer school will develop Fellows' knowledge of international human rights law and instruments and how to use these to effect change in their country. Fellows will produce training materials based on what they have learned and receive support to share these materials with NGOs in their region, to ensure the learning is transmitted as widely as possible.

Sakharov Prize Laureate Hauwa Ibrahim will give an introductory lecture to the Venice School programme.

The deadline for applications is 24 April 2016.

Guillermo Fariñas, the 2010 Sakharov Prize Laureate, gave a lecture at an event organised by the European Parliament's Information Office in Lisbon 9-11 December 2015

In his Sakharov lecture, the Laureate touched upon the latest political developments in Cuba, the Cuba/US relations and the state of human rights in his country.

Guillermo Fariñas was very well received by the national media in Portugal. He was interviewed by 9 media outlets including two TV companies, two radio stations.

He was identified, many times, as the EP Sakharov Prize winner, which contributed a lot for the promotion of the prize itself and the EP values.

During his visit, the laureate had a bilateral meeting with the MEP Francisco Assis.

Nigerian Sakharov Prize Laureate Hauwa Ibrahim took part in two-day action marking international human rights day and supporting the implementation of the 2003 Child Rights Act at the state level in Nigeria. Ms Ibrahim, who is a Sharia lawyer, focused on violence against women and girls, especially in Nigeria's North East region where the terrorist organisation, Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency since 2009.

The meetings and public discussions, organised in cooperation with the EU Delegation in Nigeria, included a roundtable discussion with a group of EU-supported civil society organisations (CSOs) advocating state-level enactment or implementation of the Child Rights' Act passed in Nigeria in 2003, focusing on strategizing advocacy for state-level adoption of the Child Rights Act, particularly in Northern sharia states that are lagging behind in adopting the Child Rights Act. The discussants agreed on a need to focus advocacy on avoiding harm to children, rather than focus on the language of rights for children, as a more effective strategy to overcome the deeply-rooted cultural perceptions about the relationship between parents and children.

In an expert meeting Ms Ibrahim discussed the findings of a study on women and girls associated with Boko Haram and children born of sexual violence and the steps that could be taken to mitigate the risks faced by women and girls victims of sexual violence, in order to inform advocacy initiatives and programmatic interventions for this group. This was followed by special sessions with government partners and security agencies on justice, support and welfare aspects of policy and programming recommendations.

Ms Ibrahim noted especially the 'enormous support, financially, and morally that the European Union gives to these foot soldiers', referring to those carrying out the work on the ground, and 'the opportunities for the SPN, in collaboration with the EU delegation, to provide additional support'.

The 2005 Sakharov prize laureate Reporters without borders spoke at the European Parliament's Information Office in Bratislava, Slovakia on 7 December 2015 and at an event organised by the Information Office in Sofia on 18-20 November 2015.

The Laureate (represented by Ms Alexandra Geneste, Head of RWB's EU and Balkans Office) was invited to deliver a lecture and open an exhibition of the Sakharov Prize together with Vice President responsible for the Sakharov Prize network Ulrike Lunacek and MEP Boris Zala in Bratislava in December 2015. The audience consisted mainly of students who actively participated in the discussion on human rights-related issues and EU's policies in this field.

On 18-20 November Ms Geneste delivered the Sakharov lecture in Sofia, Bulgaria. The event was organised by the European Parliament's Information Office in Bulgaria together with the Association of European journalists and the Union of Bulgarian journalists. Two former MEPs Slavi Binev and Evgeni Kirilov participated in the event.

On the next day Mrs Geneste visited the Department of Journalism in Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" to meet students and answer their questions. The hall was full with 60 students who participated very actively in the discussion.

Sakharov Prize Laureate Hauwa Ibrahim took part in a joint high level seminar of the European Parliament and the House of Representatives of Zanzibar on preventing electoral violence, empowering women in political life, and the responsibility of young political leaders. The seminars took place in Zanzibar, Tanzania between 2 and 4 September 2015.

The seminars focussed on the political responsibility to foster a peaceful climate before, during and after the elections in Tanzania, on enhancing the role of women in the political life in Zanzibar, and on the role and responsibility of young political leaders for preventing electoral violence.

The European Parliament sent a 4-Member delegation led by Mr David Martin and included Mr Eduard Kukan, Mr Ryszard Czarnecki and Mr Urmas Paet.

Prof. Ms Hauwa Ibrahim, the Nigerian 2005 Sakharov Prize Laureate (HRAC) spoke at several panels during the seminars. In her intervention she highlighted the need for involvement of women in African politics. She drew regional comparisons between Tanzania and her native Nigeria where the general election took place in March this year.

Opening of the One World Human Rights Film Festival at the European Parliament by Vice-President Ulrike Lunacek, Tuesday, 5 May 2015

VP Lunacek opened the festival and stated that it serves as platform to discuss the most pertinent issues of human rights and to bring together the European Parliament, policy-makers, and civil society. She introduced the first documentary to open the festival - Red Lines - which tells a story of human suffering and unending civil activism for a better future in Syria. As an example of bravery of civil activists and a high risk they often face, VP Lunacek reminded the audience of an outrageous case of abduction of the Syrian Sakharov Prize Laureate, Razan Zaitouneh. Razan and three other activists were kidnapped in Syria in December 2013. They have not been heard of ever since.

1. Syria: discussion after the screening of Red Lines, Tuesday, 5 May 2015:

Speakers:

    Ramona Nicole Manescu, Vice-Chair of the EP Delegation for Relations with the Mashreq countries
    Souad Nawfal, Syrian activist and 2015 winner of the Homo Homini human rights prize awarded by PIN
    Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, EEAS Desk Officer for Syria

Moderated by:

    Peter Sondergaard, Head of Programmes at the European Endowment for Democracy

MEP Ramona Nicole Manescu, stated that the EU should and could do more beyond the 3bn euro in aid that it has so far provided. Political courage is needed on the part of the EU as much as the will to deliver humanitarian aid, the MEP said.

Ali Ferzat, Sakharov Laureate 2011, concurred with the views of the first speaker by saying that the international community has failed to resolve the crisis in Syria at the earlier stage and after that the crisis has grown ever bigger and more complex. He stated that new actors in this crisis such as ISIS pose an imminent threat to the original hopes and ideas of the Syrian anti-Assad revolution of 2011. He called on the audience not to forget the origins of the Syrian crisis which are rooted in the oppressive regime which still remains in power.

Souad Nawfal, Syrian activist, built on Ali Ferzat's argument in her intervention. She said that the regime has manufactured groups like DAESH/ISIS, and it remains the real culprit of Syria's tragedy. Iran and other sponsors of the fighting on the ground need to be put under pressure by the international community to help bring fighting to an end.

Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, EEAS, stated that the international community is deeply divided on the narrative of the Syrian crisis and possible ways to resolve it. The EU supports and follows very closely the international Geneva peace process, which unfortunately has yet to bring concrete results.

The family of kidnapped SP Laureate Razan Zaitouneh participated with a video message appealing for her fight to be continued.The film gave a real-life perspective of the resistance against Bashar al-Assad's regime.

2. Burma: discussion after the screening of Open Sky and Article 18, Wednesday, 6 May 2015:

Speakers:

    Barbara Lochbihler, Vice-Chair of DROI & Member of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
    Tun Khin, President, Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK
    Ranieri Sabatucci, EEAS, Head of the South-East Asia Division

Moderated by:

    Ben Rogers, Team Leader for the East Asia Team of Christian Solidarity Worldwide

According to MEP Barbara Lochbihler, free and fair elections are a main priority in Burma/Myanmar as minorities such as the Rohingya stand to be excluded and Parliament needs to be vigilant on this. She recalled that during her two official visits to Myanmar, the human rights were a constant point of contention with the local policy-makers. The EU needs to find the right balance between encouraging the political transformation in Burma and remaining critical about the human rights situation in this country, she stated.

President Tun Khin of Burmese Rohingya Organisation also stressed the need for the international community to help reconciliation between the different religious groups in Myanmar. Unfortunately, the government of Myanmar plays a big role in maintaining the high level of social conflict by keeping one community deprived of the right to vote.

Ranieri Sabatucci, EEAS, gave a brief overview of EU's relations with Myanmar in which he focused on the regional aspect of the inter-religious tensions in Myanmar. Many cross-border threats such as human trafficking, and illicit labour stem from the statelessness of the Rohingya community and their lack of political representation.

3. Radicalisation: discussion after the screening of Warriors from the North, Thursday, 7 May 2015

Speakers:

    Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Vice-Chair of DROI
    Sabine Lösing, Vice-Chair of SEDE
    Harald Freyer, EEAS, Policy Adviser and Judicial Expert, Multilateral Relations and Global Issues division
    Søren Steen Jespersen, Director of Warriors from the North
    Olivier Basille, Reporters Without Borders, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2005

Moderated by:

    Joost Hiltermann, Director for the Middle East and North Africa of the International Crisis Group Programme,

MEPs Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea Vice-Chair of DROI and Sabine Lösing, Vice-Chair of SEDE participated in this panel and spoke about the two aspects of radicalization - the human rights aspect and the security -related aspect. Both speakers agreed that the debate on radicalization of second-generation immigrants living in Europe who join radical Islamist groups tends to become polarised and overly securitised. This only plays in the hands of the radical elements outside the EU and populist politicians at home. Instead, a better and more nuanced policy is needed to better integrate immigrants including those who belong to the second generation and are not immigrants in the strict sense of the word.

Harald Freyer, EEAS, stated that there is an ongoing process of integrating different departments and units in the EEAS and Commission that deal with various aspects of radicalization such as migration, human rights, security, both within the EU and outside its borders into a more coordinated mechanism of responding to the challenge of radicalization. The work is still underway, he noted.

Olivier Basille, Reporters Without Borders, Sakharov Prize Laureate 2005, emphasised the role of the social media in affecting the minds of young Europeans. This role can be both negative and positive and it is very important that the social media become aware of responsibility they have in sending their messages across. As an example, Oliver Basille used the lack of the ''dislike'' button on many social media channels which can be interpreted by the viewers as endorsement of radical views that can be transmitted via these channels.

4. Child Education: discussion after the screening of National Diploma, Monday, 11 May 2015

Speakers:

    Ulrike Lunacek, Vice-President for Sakharov Prize Network
    Linda McAvan, Chair of DEVE
    Denis Mukwege, co-Chair of the Sakharov Prize Network and Laureate 2014
    Salima Ghezali, Sakharov Prize Laureate 1997

Moderated by:

   Lila Pieters, Director a.i. UNICEF-EU Brussels Office

VP Lunacek and Linda McAvan, Chair of DEVE stressed that education worldwide needs to be adequately financed, especially in countries where there is risk of young men getting involved in armed conflicts. The development aim of allocating 0.7 % of national GNP has not been reached in decades. The upcoming international conference in September wherein the international community will move from the MDGs to SDGs raises the hope for some improvement for a better global project for child education.

Dr Mukwege and Salima Ghezali agreed on the need of better structures eliminating corruption and trickery to succeed and the imperative of employment for the future of young people. Dr Mukwege spoke of the need for a ''moral revolution'' whereas Salima Ghezali used the words ''state project'' when talking about the need to bring new ideas and ethics to their respective countries and societies. The need for a better ethical and legal framework was also mentioned with regard to conflict minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr Mukwege spoke about the need of mandatory traceability of minerals in EU legislation for the improvement of the situation in conflict zones such as eastern DRC. This issue was raised in view of the EP vote on conflict minerals on 19 May.

Dr Mukwege was welcomed by a wide range of Belgian politicians and academic personalities such as Mr Daniel Termont, Mayor of Ghent, Members of the Federal and Flemish parliaments, Mrs Anne de Paepe, Rector of Ghent University, Dr Marleen Temmerman, Professor at Ghent University, Belgian politicians: other local personalities, students, and civil society. Thierry Michel and Colette Braeckman, co-authors of the film "L'Homme qui répare les femmes - La colère d'Hippocrate" were also present. In his address, Dr Mukwege aimed at sending a strong message for peace in people's hearts and minds, and peace in the world in general.

The event ended with the screening of the film dedicated to the work of Dr Mukwege.

Razan Zaitouneh, Sakharov Prize Laureate (2011), founder of the Violations Documentation Centre, human rights lawyer and activist, was kidnapped in a rebel-held area in Douma, Syria, on 9 December 2013. She is still missing, believed to be alive, but her whereabouts and captors are yet unknown. She was kidnapped together with her husband and fellow activist Wael Hamada, poet and lawyer Nazem Hamadi and former political prisoner Samira Khalil. They are known as the Douma 4 and social media are alive with calls for their liberation. They were kidnapped together from the office of two groups Razan founded, the Violations Documentation Centre (VDC) and the Local Development and Small Projects Support Office (LDSPS), in Douma.

In December 2014, the European Parliament has launched a public campaign calling on immediate release of the Douma 4. Many MEPS supported the campaign among them the European Parliament President Martin Schulz, Vice President for the Sakharov Prize Network Ulrike Lunacek, Chair of the Committee on Development and co-Chair of the Democracy and Election Coordination Group (DEG) Linda McAvan, Chair of the Subcommittee of Human Rights and DEG Member Elena Valenciano, Chair of the Conference of Delegation Chairs and DEG Member Pier Antonio Panzeri.

In Spring 2015 the Parliament organizes a strong follow-up in support of the Douma 4 including the Freedom of Press campaign, a special action in the Parliamentarian, and a panel debate on Syria. The Douma 4 case was discussed at a special Syria hearing of the EP Subcommitte on Human Rights on 23 April.

The EP Freedom of Press Campaign features articles on freedom of expression written by different Sakharov Prize Laureates. It opened on 17 April on the Sakharov page of the European Parliament website with an article by Laura Rawas, the young niece of Razan Zaitouneh, who compare the freedoms we take for granted in the West to the reality faced by Syrians and evoked the brutal kidnapping of her aunt, Razan Zaitouneh, as well as her uncle, Wael Hamada, and two of their fellow activists and friends, Samira Al Khalil and Nazem Al Hamadi.

The Parlamentarium action: from 27 April to 17 May 2015, visitors to the European Parliament will be able to participate in the #FreeRazan social media action by taking photos of themselves with this message at the photo booth of the EP's visitors' centre.

On 5 May 2015: as part of the One World Human Rights Documentary Film Festival a panel on the conflict in Syria and human rights defenders will take place with the participation of Ramona Nicole Manescu, Vice Chair of the EP's Mashreq Delegation and Sakharov Prize Laureate from Syria, Ali Ferzat. Razan Zaitouneh's family are expected to send a video message highlighting Razan's case.