The European Parliament screened a selection of films from the Czech Human Rights Documentary Film Festival "One World 2010". They paid tribute to the murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, looked into the situation in North Korea and depicted th

Human rights on the big screen

The EP played host to a selection of films

from the Czech Human Rights   Documentary Film Festival 'One World'.

Film is a very powerful tool   to make people think and rethink.

The EP, as a defender of human rights   within the EU,

is reminding all the other institutions of   their obligation to defend human rights.

3 films on 3 different topics   were screened,

first of them a tribute to the Russian   journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

She was murdered 4 years ago while   investigating the conflicts in Chechnya.

Our army carries out   the most mediaeval tortures...

Discussing the film was Lidia Yusupova,   lawyer and friend of the journalist.

that won the EP’s Sakharov prize   for freedom of thought in 2009.

First of all I'd like to say   that Anna had a great spirit,

because she tried to help everyone   and believed that it really is possible.

Secondly, she was brave, despite her   vulnerability as a woman and as a person.

Also showing was   'Orphans of Burma's Cyclone',

the story of tens of thousands of children   orphaned under a military regime.

The military junta turned down all external   aid after the natural disaster of May 2008.

And last, but not least,   'Kimjongilia',

story of a country with one of the worst   human rights records in the world.

So we should really try to understand and   influence the situation in North Korea.

Just last week the EP condemned   the human rights abuses

which keeps a tight reign   over the lives of its 23 million citizens.