3. Statements by the President

Verbatim reports

The President spoke of the democratisation process in Tunisia and the unstable situation in Egypt. Parliament considered freedom and democracy to be essential for progress and stability in the region.

On 20 January 2011 Latvia had commemorated the 20th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when the Soviet Army had attacked official buildings in the capital. Several people had been killed and a large number wounded.

He spoke of the case of the Dutch national, Sahra Bahrami, who had been sentenced to death and executed in Iran on 29 January 2011. He was asking for an explanation from the Iranian Government, expressing the European Union's view that the death penalty could never be considered a just sentence.

He also mentioned the case of David Kato, a human rights militant, who had been killed on 26 January 2011 in Uganda. He called on the Ugandan Government to bring those guilty to justice.

The President concluded by mentioning that a meeting of the Conference of Presidents open to all Members would be held on 8 February 2011.

The following spoke: Michael Cashman on the case of David Kato.