Award of the Sakharov Prize 20018 to Oleg SENTSOV, Ukrainian Film Director and Political prisoner: - award ceremony in the presence of Natalia KAPLAN, Sentsov's cousin and Dmitri DINZE, Sentsov's lawyer.  The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

plenary session

ceremony

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2018 (T)

Award of the Sakharov Prize 20018 to Oleg SENTSOV, Ukrainian Film Director and Political prisoner. Statement by Antonio TAJANI, EP President (12:07 - 12:20)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, I would like to open the session by the awarding of the Sakharov Prize 2018. Let us start by showing a brief film on the Sakharov prize.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, <p class="tr-paragraph" data-pm-slice="2 2 [&quot;paragraph-wrapper&quot;,null]">I would like to pay tribute to Oleg Sentsov, film director from Ukraine who's been imprisoned for political reasons. He's the winner of the Sakharov Prize for the freedom of thought. Sentsov of is being awarded this prize because his peaceful demonstration when he was imprisoned on his motherland. This prize is to be granted in the defense of human rights and democracy and the rule of law. These are the values on which European construction has been founded and this is true today more than ever after the terrible terrorist attack in Strasbourg yesterday.</p>

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The European Parliament will always be defending the dignity of the individual both within and without the European Union. The hunger strike of Oleg Sentsov shows the support and the active demonstration and for the freedom of expression I'd like to welcome Mrs. Caplan and the lawyer who is here representing them. We would like to express solidarity with Oleg and all the other Ukrainian citizens on the Crimea peninsula.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Once again we would like to ask for his release. We would also like to welcome because of the Russian director general of the Reporters Without Borders who won the Sakharov Prize in 2005. And I'd also like to welcome all the other finalists this year. I would also like to welcome and congratulate the engineers who are saving lives in the Mediterranean and protecting the lives of migrants have always already welcomed the parents of Nasser Zefzafi and we would also like for his immediate release.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, You have seen the video which represents the winner of this year. Two years ago we celebrated the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Human Rights which is visionary document important for entire humanity. The European Parliament has wanted to celebrate this anniversary dedicating a for a whole week to human rights the battle to defend human rights is not one that we've already won because women and men are being persecuted all over the world because of their beliefs and their fight against authoritarian regimes. 

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, They are asking for freedom and justice and that alone imprisons them. Thousands of journalists day after way they put their lives at risk. They're being imprisoned defending the truth and our freedom. Too often the powers that be are infringing the fundamental principles of this declaration. This should actually reinforce our will because our citizens want a more efficient Europe with the means to act and protect human rights in the world.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The Sakharov Prize has been created 30 years ago supporting individuals who defend justice and even putting their own lives at risk. And this is one of the most important symbols of the protection of human rights. Mister Mukwege and Nadia Murad received this important recognition as well.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, In May this year Oleg Sentsov started a hunger strike asking for the release of political prisoners, Ukrainian prisoners imprisoned in Russia. He had to interrupt this hunger strike because of critical health issues and because of a threat for force feeding. Russian human rights center Memorial, the Sakharov Prize winner in 2009 has recognized Sentsov as a political prisoner.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The film academy, many film directors and others have asked for his release. They give the Sakharov Prize this year to him clearly is also because of the increased tension between Russia and the Ukraine. The infringement of international law has made the situation worse between these two countries because we would like to make sure that there is no escalation and we condemn firmly condemn the infringement of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We also like to think of all the winners of the Sakharov Prize who are all faced with serious difficulties. For instance Nasrin Sotoudeh, arrested in June in Iran, We're very worried about her situation and we call for her immediate release.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Tomorrow the European Parliament will also be adopting an urgency on his case Raif Badawi, 2015 award winner, who is in prison for peacefully defending freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia. Leopoldo Lopez whose house under house arrest in Venezuela.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Razan Zaitouneh who was kidnapped in Syria some years ago and we don't exactly know her fate. The Chinese dissident who's permanently being surveilled and La Damas de Blanco who are permanently suffering intimidation in Cuba. And this is also true.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, We're hoping that we will be able to give him the Sakharov prize in person because this is a commitment we have with our award winners. I'd like to tell you all you are not alone in your fight. This Parliament will always stand by your side. 