The European Parliament organises a seminar with journalists and Jewher Ilham daughter of Ilham Tohti, 2019 Sakharov Prize laureate, in Strasbourg and also the other finalists.

Strasbourg

seminar

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2019 (T)

Ilham Tohti  (CN)

Jewher Ilham (CN)

EP Journalists Seminar with the laureate's daughter and the finalists of the 2019 Sakharov Prize: extracts from the seminar

Title: EP Journalists Seminar with the laureate and the finalists of the  2019 Sakharov Prize: extracts from the seminar 

1st panel: on Sakharov Laureate Ilham Tohti, an Uyghur economist fighting for the rights of China&rsquo;s Uyghur minority

SOUNDBITE (English), Jewher Ilham, daughter of ILHAM Tohti, (Answer on a journalist question about the impact on her family)  I did see an immediate change with my family members attitude after my father has received this award. And I do believe the Chinese government have reached out to them. I do not know what exactly they did because my family members, they would definitely not tell me the details and they are not allowed to do so. And I really hope the Chinese government could leave them alone. as they are too innocent to be involved and too innocent to be threat and harassed, as they have done nothing wrong.

2nd panel: honouring Marielle Franco, Chief Raoni and Claudelice Silva dos Santos

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Monica BENICIO, Marielle Franco&apos;s widow, There is no real democracy in Brazil until the State answers the question of who ordered the murder of an elected councilor. The indication of Marielle, her candidacy not only speaks in favor of who Marilia was as a defender of Human rights, but also represents Marielle today as a symbol of the resistance of representativeness, not only in Brazil, but worldwide. Understanding the international impact it has had in terms of solidarity. The murder of Mariella may imply that Brazil's situation is really an extremely racist, homophobic country and through this tragedy people get to listen to this denunciation of a government that is really regressing in giving rights to the population .

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Paxton METUKTIRE, grandson of Raoni METUKTIRE, That life my grandfather has lived. I, who lived with him day by day, I realize that the only thing he does every day, while traveling, when he is not in Brazil or in the capital, wherever we are , is what he is doing, is thinking all day. It revolves around the people. About the indigenous community, talk to us so that people keep fighting and talk to people. I've been fighting for you all my life, he said. And he said I want to be certain that we are very grateful that we are encouraged to fight for our rights, for speaking our language and that is what I wanted.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Claudelice SILVA DOS SANTOS, Brazilian Human Rights defenders , The indigenous population is being questioned and I would like to say that a large part of the companies that collaborate in these acts of violence against human rights and the environment are on this side of the world. I would like to say that part of the agreements concluded here with environmental, human rights clauses are not respected.

3rd Panel: The Restorers, a group of five students from Kenya - Stacy Owino, Cynthia Otieno, Purity Achieng, Mascrine Atieno and Ivy Akinyi - who have developed i-Cut, MEP Assita KANKO, (ECR, Belgium) gives the introduction remarks, (2 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Stacy OWINO, developper of I-Cut, We wanted to find that bridging gap to be able to connect these girls to rescue centres and relevant authorities that actually care about the lives of these girls,  because as Mrs. Assita Kanko said, it's not just, you know, a physical thing, it's something you carry on with you untill the end. So that is why we wanted a very safe and secure platform for these girls to report. As she said it, it brought us shame the next day after when she spoke about it.  We girls we weren't able to report very safely.

SOUNDBITE (English), Purity ACHIENG, Developper of I-Cut, As much as they were starting to teach young girls in schools about FGM it would still be fine if we find a common platform where anyone can get the information. And then so we included the rescue, the emergency rescue. And I thought, OK, it's a bit different from what these other people have been doing because our app now gives this girls a stage to get help in a very fast manner because it's just a mile away and you're connected to the rescue centres and you're connected to the police stations. So I thought, OK, at least we have a difference. There's a difference and there's a possibility that it could actually work.