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Human Rights
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Human Rights defenders and Sakharov Prize winners gather in Brussels

Helsinki/ Brussels -
Tuesday 22/11/2011

Tomorrow, 23 November, the European Parliament will host a unique event bringing together Human Rights defenders, former Sakharov Prize winners as well as numerous human rights activists from all over the world.

EP President Jerzy Buzek will deliver the opening remarks of the event.

On the eve of the event, the President said: "Human rights issues are always at the top of the Parliament's agenda. As the only European institution, elected directly and democratically, we feel particularly responsible for ensuring that human rights and freedoms are defended and promoted within and outside the European Union.

We want people engaged in the struggle for human rights around the World to look to Brussels as not only as the European Union's capital, but also as a human rights hub. This is why we would like to go beyond just this conference and consolidate our own human rights network: the Sakharov Prize Network.

This Human Rights Conference and Sakharov Prize Network event provides a timely occasion to discuss the powerful role of new technologies in the battle for human rights. Moreover, it also gives an ideal opportunity to look at human rights issues in countries in transition, especially in light of current international developments such as the Arab Spring."

The event will take place in the European Parliament at 11.30 hrs in József Antall (JAN 4Q2) and will be concluded with a public debate at the BOZAR Cultural Centre in the evening in Brussels at 19.30.

Sakharov Prize laureates present: Hauwa Ibrahim, Wei Jing Sheng, Salih Mahmoud Osman, Alecsandr Milinkievic, Reporters without Borders, Zhanna Litvina - Belarus Association of Journalists, Taslima Nasrin, Salima Ghezali, Ladies in White and Oslobodjenje.

Note to editors:

Programme and additional information: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sakharov

The event will be broadcast live by Europe by Satellite as well as be available for download:

http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebs/schedule.cfm?sitelang=en&page=3&institution=0&date=11/23/2011

Interview opportunity: Journalists willing to make an interview with one or several Sakharov laureates attending the conference, must contact Mrs. Ben Salah Karima: +32 498 98 35 77 karima.bensalah@europarl.europa.eu as soon as possible to book a slot. We will apply first come first serve policy.

The evening debate will be followed by a reception at the BOZAR.

Please confirm your attendance to foreign-press@europarl.europa.eu by 23 November. Press card will be requested for the evening event.

For further information:

  • Robert A. Golański

    Spokesman

    Mobile: +32 475 751 663

  • Delia Vlase

    Press Officer

    Mobile: +32 476 331 038