During the plenary session (10-13/12/18) of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Antonio TAJANI, EP President, awards the Sakharov Prize 2018 to Oleg SENTSOV, Ukrainian Film Director and Political prisoner.

TAJANI, Antonio (EPP, IT)

Strasbourg

plenary session

ceremony

Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought 2018 (T)

SENTSOV, Oleg (UA)

Award of the Sakharov Prize 2018 to Oleg SENTSOV, Ukrainian Film Director and Political prisoner: extracts from the ceremony

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Today is a sad day for all of us. We'd like to pay tribute to Oleg Sentsov, film director from the 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 when he was imprisoned on his motherland while he was peaceguly demonstrating. 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.

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 for the active demonstration and for the freedom of expression. I'd like to welcome Mrs. Kaplan and the lawyer who is here representing them. We would like to express solidarity with Oleg and the other Ukrainian citizens on the Crimea peninsula. Once again we would like to ask for his release.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Because women and men are being prosecuted all over the world because of their beliefs and their fight against authoritarian regimes. They are asking for freedom and justice and that alone imprisons them. Thousands of journalists day after day put their lives at risk. They're being imprisoned defending the truth and our freedom. I'd like to tell you all you are not alone in your fight. This Parliament will always stand by your side.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Natalia KAPLAN, Sentsov&apos;s cousin , He was planning to start new filming. But the work was halted as a result of the events on Maidan. Practically from the first days of Maidan he joined the Auto-Maidan the activists who were bringing food medical supplies and done necessary supplies to Maidan by car and blocked the roads. Oleg was an office manager. He was in charge of logistics of the all to Maidan, he coordinated people directed temporary goods and water to the Ukrainian resistance.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Natalia KAPLAN, Sentsov&apos;s cousin , When the little green man allowed Ukrainian military leave Crimea, he organized their leave in March 2014. Russia applauded Putin praising him for the annexation of Crimea and Ukraine was counting its deads and disappeared at the time. The repressive machine started operating in Crimea it was well orchestrating and it works well on all occupied territories inside Russia and especially in Chechnya. In April 2014 an anti-terrorist department was created in Crimea. As there is a department there should be terrorists.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Natalia KAPLAN, Sentsov&apos;s cousin , I can not be present in this room right now, but you can hear my words even if someone else is saying them: The word is the main tool of a person and often his only tool especially when everything else has been taken from him. In a word you can execure, you can mean you can save and you can kill by commanding fire. There are people whose words mean a lot. There are people vested with power and opportunities but they use the power of their words in different ways. You can call to acceptance surrender but on the contrary you can also call for resistance and fight, even when there is no chance to survive, when there is only a chance to die.

But it is not so important how long you lived, but how, no matter when you die. More importantly is how and for what. You can be a simple farmer up to 18 years old and then in your own words raise up a whole country to resist accept humiliation and martyrdom and then stay forever in history under the name of John. And you can live a bloody ruler to a ripe old age tires uttering a flood of false words that your people would supposedly admire.

SOUNDBITE (Russian), Natalia KAPLAN, Sentsov&apos;s cousin , Andrei Sakharov whose view we can take because for me it is a real undeserved honor to even to be compared with him. He raised the bar so high for education and talent intelligence group education dignity and humanism. And I hope that I can still I will have time to do something in order to feel that I have deserve this award. Thank you.

Award giving ceremony, handshake, applause (9 shots) 