Antonio TAJANI, EP President, opens the EP plenary session (15-18 January 2018) in Strasbourg, expressing concern over repeated human rights violations in Turkey, and expressing full support of the European Parliament to Leila ZANA, 1995 Sakharov Prize.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

plenary session

EU - Türkiye (T)

speech

freedom of press and media (T)

ZANA, Leyla (TR)

Introductory remarks by Antonio TAJANI, EP President: extracts from the opening speech on Leila Zana, 1995 Sakharov Prize

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/19788371/I149070Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

Arrival of EP President Antonio TAJANI, (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (IT) : Antonio TAJANI, EP President:  30 years after the first award of the Sakharov prize we should not simply remember but look after the people who have been awarded the prize, a symbol of those who struggle for Human rights throughout the world. Some of them are in situations which can only be described as dangerous and we should remember that Leyla Zana who won the prize in 1995 has just been removed from my post as a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly. As president of this house I would like to express to Ms Zana your solidarity and the solidarity of the entire European Parliament. It is not acceptable in a democracy that someone elected by the people should be illegitimaly deprived of their seat. I was at like to express my concern, (Applause) about the repeated Human rights violations in Turkey these aren&rsquo;t simply aimed at the political opposition but representatives of civil society including journalists and academics: Nuriye G&uuml;lmen, Semih &Ouml; Zak&ccedil;a, Osman Kavala, Mehmet Altan e Sahin Alpay. Those are just some of the names. The European Parliament will continue to support these people in their struggle for freedom and justice.