Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-12-14-Speech-3-112-000"
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"en.20111214.18.3-112-000"2
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"Dear colleagues, dear Sakharov laureates, our solemn sitting is now open. Today is a very special occasion, as 2011 will go down in history as the year of the Arab Spring. I am honoured to award the European Parliament Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 2011 to five courageous women and men who represent the Arab Spring. The prize goes to:
and the late Mr Mohamed Bouazizi, from Tunisia.
Dear friends, human rights are universal. We all value human dignity, freedom of thought and expression, as well as responsible and accountable government, and we are all entitled to it. By awarding the Sakharov Prize to the five Arab Spring activists, the European Parliament recognises the efforts of all those who struggle for dignity, basic freedoms and political change in the Arab world.
Looking back at this year’s events following the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, we witnessed the removal of a dictator, and recently free elections. To honour the courage of the Tunisian people, we award the Sakharov Prize to the late Mohamed Bouazizi, a young street salesman. He set himself on fire after his authorities repeatedly denied him the most basic elements of a life of dignity. Since then, history has swept across North Africa and the Arab World, and many lost their lives for basic freedoms and human dignity.
In many places, the struggle is ongoing as we speak. In Syria, protestors’ demands are met by bullets, tear gas, tanks, arbitrary detention and torture. The latest number of deaths reported exceed 5 000, including 300 children. In order to honour and remember Mr Bouazizi and all those who lost their lives in the struggle for freedom and dignity in the Arab World, I would like to ask all of us to observe a minute’s silence.
This historical events also remind us of our responsibilities, including the need to support an emerging young and vibrant civil society. Among our prize winners, we have two young ladies, representatives of a new generation, Asmaa Mahfouz, from Egypt and Razan Zaitouneh, from Syria. They deserve not only our admiration and respect, but better prospects for their future. Their nomination represents a tribute to the decisive role played by women during the Arab Spring.
I hope that their courageous involvement is a sign that geopolitical changes will also bring about improvement in women’s rights in this region.
Ms Asmaa Mahfouz, from Egypt
Today, we have the honour to welcome in our Chamber a young and remarkable woman, Asmaa Mahfouz, who mobilised Egyptians to go out to Tahrir Square and demand their rights. She is a shining example and a symbol of how an individual can make a difference, leading by inspiration and by the strongest possible conviction of human rights, despite the risks of intimidation by the authorities. Ms Mahfouz, I would like to invite you to deliver a speech to us from the podium below.
Mr Ahmed al-Sanusi, from Libya
Ms Razan Zaitouneh, from Syria
Mr Ali Farzat, also from Syria"@en1
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