misclassified/meps_speeches_with_translation.csv huggingface dataset:
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-07-08
Debate: The death penalty in Saudi Arabia, notably the cases of Mustafa Hashem al-Darwish and Abdullah al-Howaiti

  Hannah Neumann,  author. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, diplomatic engagement with Saudi Arabia is quite a tightrope walk. They have made progress on women’s rights and announced substantial legal reforms. That’s good news. But we also know that blatant human rights violations are still a reality. It’s a reality for most in prisons that their situation is very, very bleak and we describe it all in our resolution. 
But again, Saudi Arabia is a key regional player. We need to engage with Saudi Arabia, be it to improve security in the Middle East or to fight the climate crisis. Saudi Arabia made it quite clear they want to engage with us and we need and should engage with Saudi Arabia. But all of our actions need to be guided by three questions. 
How can we strengthen and support all those who want to change Saudi Arabia towards more human rights, more rule of law and eventually democracy? How can we contain and ostracise those responsible for human rights violations? And how can we make sure that European companies do not enable, or even worse, profit from the suffering of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia? 
This is how we can have an impact as parliamentarians, as diplomats, as Team Europe, but often enough we are not using it. For many years, European companies have exported surveillance technology to Saudi Arabia that is used to track dissidents. Some Member States are still exporting arms to Saudi Arabia, despite the violations of humanitarian law that are committed with these weapons in Yemen. There are still no sanctions on those responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and political delegations shake hands and sign business deals without a word of support for those in prison. 
It is important to engage with Saudi Arabia and it is important to also name perpetrators, denounce oppressive structures and show solidarity with victims. We can do both. We should do both. And Charles Michel, I wish you a safe and successful trip to Saudi Arabia.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-07-06
Debate: EU global human rights sanctions regime (EU Magnitsky Act) (debate)

  Hannah Neumann,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, dear colleagues, it has been quite a struggle, but now we have the EU global human rights sanctions regime. And you may have realised, especially with regards to China, it has created some effect and some impact. So I think it’s good that we finally debated it here in the European Parliament because it was actually the Parliament that initiated this mechanism. 
It is the Parliament that was mainly targeted by Chinese retaliation. And it’s the Parliament that we use to debate issues on human rights and EU foreign policy. So, Mr Logar, it may be the prerogative of the Council to decide on sanctions alone, but this is not how it should be. And this is part of our questions and our resolution as well, because at the moment we have an EU global human rights sanction regime where the European Parliament doesn’t have a say in it. 
So I think it’s good that, as a start, we agreed across all political parties that it’s time to establish a dedicated working group looking at the implementation of sanction regimes and making proposals for possible persons or organisations to be sanctioned. 
And I also call on the Council and Commission to reach out more strongly to civil society organisations, to journalists, to human rights defenders. They are our allies in the fight against human rights violations and I think they should also have a formal mechanism in which they can include their proposals, their ideas, their discussions into this mechanism, and not just random consultation whenever it pleases the Council and the Commission. 
That’s the second call. I think that is very important in our resolution. 
So after seven months of this mechanism, I think it’s good that we say congratulations, we have it and it has an impact. But I think now it’s time to join forces to make the best use of it. We here in the Parliament are ready. Civil society is ready and I have high trust in the Commission and the Council that they are equally willing to join forces with us to make the best use of this instrument.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-05-18
Debate: The effects of climate change on human rights and the role of environmental defenders on this matter (debate)

  Hannah Neumann,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, a safe and a healthy environment is a human right and companies or governments that knowingly undermine this for economic profit or for short—sighted political gain need to be held accountable.
I know this sounds obvious, but there’s still a long way to go. I just have one example. An oil company in Ecuador needed to get rid of toxic wastewater from its drilling activities and they simply spilled it into rivers for decades. The people living in the region got seriously ill. Steven Donziger, a human rights lawyer, represented them in court. They won the court case in 2011 and you would think everything is good. Well, today, just 10 years later, Stephen Donziger has been under house arrest in the US for 600 days now because Chevron, the oil company, staged a revenge trial against him. The people in Ecuador are still suffering from the disease and Chevron didn’t even pay a single US dollar of the 10 billion fine that they were sentenced to in court.
And these are exactly the vicious circles that we need to break if we want to make climate protection and accountability a reality. In this report we clearly say what more the EU can do because an ambitious Green Deal is not going to be enough. We also need to protect the right to a safe and healthy environment globally and we need to support all those who defend it.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-04-29
Debate: European Defence Fund (debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Mr President, the defence budgets of the EU Member States are actually higher than their allocations to the EU budget, so if Member States want to develop arms together, they really should pool their national budgets. But apparently capitals decided to waste EUR 8 billion from our EU budget for subsidies for the arms industry, and my colleagues from the ECR, EPP and Renew groups are apparently just too happy to support that. 
The least we can do now is to make sure that the weapons that will be developed with this money do not end up in the hands of dictators. That, actually, is also your job, Mr Breton, because according to not much heard of Article 22(4) of the European Defence Fund regulation, the Commission has the right to object to the export of EDF research results to a third country, as no such export should contravene the security interests of the Union and its Member States. Or, in less technical terms, the Commission has a say in arms exports resulting from EDF-funded projects. That’s why it’s time that we set up an EU-level arms export control system the very same day we spend the first euro from EDF-funded money, because we have seen far too often in the past how national mechanisms of export control fail in cases of multinational armament projects.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-04-28
Debate: Chinese countersanctions on EU entities and MEPs and MPs (debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, first of all, I think we need to talk about language because these are not counter—sanctions. The European Union has sanctioned four Chinese human rights abusers. The Chinese have retaliated with sanctions on individual members of different parliaments – the whole Subcommittee on Human Rights, 27 Ambassadors and quite a number of think—tankers. This is a regime arbitrarily shooting a shotgun, targeting our freedom of expression, our freedom of research and our rights as Members of Parliament. 
So I think it is important, as a consequence, that we also are very clear in our response as the European Parliament as a whole. As members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, we can no longer travel to China. We can also not invite experts on China to our committee because they would equally face sanctions, and we cannot rely on the work of think—tankers because they are banned from going to China. 
So, when it comes to the EU—China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) that China wants us to ratify, we may be able to discuss the economic dimension at length, but we are kept by China from discussing its effects on human rights. 
I am not willing to let a foreign country dictate to me how to do my job as a Member of Parliament, and I don’t think any one of us should accept that. I’m not sure if we are clear on that across the board. 
So, as long as any one of us is under sanctions, I think this Parliament should refuse to even start discussing the CAI, let alone ratify it, because our commitment to human rights, and our solidarity with the Uyghurs and the democratic movement in Hong Kong has to be more important than any potential economic effort or any potential economic benefit market access could have.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-03-11
Debate: The human rights situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in particular the cases of death row inmates and human rights defenders

  Hannah Neumann,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, more than two thirds of the countries around the world have either abolished the death penalty or have a moratorium on it, and amongst them are countries like Morocco, Tunisia or Algeria, and until 2017, Bahrain was part of this group with a de facto moratorium on the death penalty and no executions.
But sadly, Bahrain left this coalition and so far, six people have been executed and dozens are on death row, like Mohamed Ramadan and Hussein Ali Moosa. They report, both of them, that they were tortured into confessions, and both of them are at imminent risk of execution.
This is a very dramatic situation and it is a clear violation of international human rights standards.
Dear colleagues, as the Chair of the Delegation to the Arabian Peninsula, I really don’t want the rulers of Bahrain to go down that road. I would actually rather like to see them living up to the statements that they make, describing Bahrain as a country that is ‘soon to be a champion of human rights’.
And that is why I reiterate our call, that we have made in this Parliament repeatedly, to the Bahraini authorities: halt all executions and go back to the moratorium of the death penalty.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-03-11
Debate: The mass trials against the opposition and civil society in Cambodia

  Hannah Neumann,  author. – Madam President, the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, clearly misuses the COVID-19 pandemic to crack down on human rights and civil liberties in these countries. The recent mass trials against opposition and civil society are just the last step on a very dangerous path towards dictatorship.
In Cambodia, we are now looking at intimidation of environmental activists and restrictions of internet access, governmental censorship, violence against peaceful demonstrators and so much more. This is how the government undermines democracy and builds a breeding ground for fear and mistrust, and none of this is actually helpful to fight a pandemic. 
So, it is very much time that the Foreign Affairs Council sends a very clear signal to the leaders of Cambodia. Either they end all forms of harassment, repeal the long list of restrictive laws, and drop all charges against opposition, or they will have to face the consequences, including – and that is very important – targeted sanctions against Cambodian leaders and their egoistic economic interests.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-03-09
Debate: The Syrian conflict – 10 years after the uprising (continuation of debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Mr President, the war in Syria has now lasted for ten years, the political process in Geneva is stuck and Mr Borrell has come here today to just read out a statement about how much money we have thrown at the problem. 
Mr Borrell, I really don’t think that’s enough. So, while listening to you and my colleagues, I drew up a list of things that we can actually do now. The first one is to finally use the political leverage that comes with all the money that we have spent. For that, we need a strategy. Our strategy comes from 2017, so maybe we should revise that. Then, continue the fight against impunity by supporting all the universal jurisdiction processes that are happening in the European Union, and make sure there are more of them. Repatriate European citizens from Al-Hol and Roj camp. Ease family reunification and resettlement. And, finally, please treat those in camps inside Europe with dignity. Support peaceful and democratic activists in exile, and ease the visa and protection mechanism for everyone who needs to get out. 
Mr Borrell, dear colleagues, that is the least we owe to the people who have stood up against Assad’s regime for the last ten years.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-02-10
Debate: Challenges ahead for women’s rights: more than 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (continuation of debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Mr President, I’m standing on the shoulders of giants today. Twenty—five years ago, the Beijing Declaration imagined a world in which women and girls could enjoy equal rights and enjoy fully human rights in all fields of life. 
But isn’t it strange that something as natural as this sounds like utopia today. Just one example: we may have doubled the number of women in Parliament in the last 25 years, but 90% of heads of governments are still men, and many of these 90% actually behave as if women fighting for parity were a threat to security. 
Well, if you are used to male privilege for centuries, equality may feel like discrimination. But let me tell you something, guys – it’s not. It is just women asking for their fair share and, believe me, we will continue to do so and we may even be a bit more vocal and a bit more assertive in the next 25 years. So you may do better just to join us in that fight!
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-02-09
Debate: Humanitarian and political situation in Yemen (debate)

  Hannah Neumann,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, Yemen is indeed the worst humanitarian crisis around the world and the people of Yemen are suffering in a way I think we can’t even imagine. But it’s also part of the story that this war is fought with weapons made in the European Union. The Eurofighter from Airbus is used to bomb hospitals in Yemen. French Mirage bombers are used by the United Arab Emirates to do exactly the same. Both airplanes are equipped with MK-80 bombs manufactured by RWM, the Italian subsidiary of German Rheinmetall. And the French company DCI is at this moment training Saudi soldiers on how to better launch rockets into Yemen. 
So we actually can do something as the European Union to stop this war. That’s why I think the message from our Parliament’s resolution needs to be crystal clear: no more weapons, no more spare parts, no more maintenance until the war in Yemen is over. And I want to say to Mr Borrell that I really hope that the message from the next Foreign Affairs Council will be just the same, because this is the only way we can build credibility, to put pressure on Iran and everyone else who wants to make money or politics with the suffering of the people in Yemen, to get out of this beautiful country and let the people of Yemen sort out their conflicts. 
And there’s actually a window of opportunity, and Mr Borrell, you mentioned that. The new US Administration is doing exactly this. They are working on a suspension of all arms deals to Saudi Arabia and the UAE and a diplomatic initiative, a new diplomatic initiative, to end the war in Yemen. I think that all of us in this room and beyond should do everything possible to make sure that the European Union picks up on this initiative, and to build a transatlantic alliance to stop the war in Yemen and the suffering of the people of Yemen.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2021-01-19
Debate: Implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy - annual report 2020 - Implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy - annual report 2020 - Human Rights and Democracy in the World and the EU policy on the matter - annual report 2019 (debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, the discussion on the EU’s strategic autonomy gained quite some momentum last year, but sadly it was often those putting forward the term and the concept who were actually undermining the EU’s ability to act as a global player. How can we have an EU-led mission and a Berlin peace process for Libya while France continues unilaterally to support Haftar? How can the EU put pressure on Egypt for its human rights record, also against Giulio Regeni, when Italy sends more weapons than ever to el-Sisi? And how can the Council sanction Turkish officials for the escalation in the Mediterranean when Germany continues to send submarines to Erdoğan that may be turned against Greece?
Member States undermining European efforts by egoistic national deals and policies: that’s our biggest problem and that’s what needs to stop. So, from now on, I really want to see every Head of State who uses the term ‘strategic autonomy’ to clearly outline in which areas they are actually willing to delegate national sovereignty to European level; what they are doing to strengthen European capabilities to act; and what role they see for the European Parliament in all of this. Because what we need is the ability of the European Union to protect peace and human rights – at best with its partners, independently where necessary. But what we don’t need is another round of fuzzy concepts and inconsistent action by Member States.
(Applause)
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2020-12-17
Debate: The deteriorating situation of human rights in Egypt, in particular the case of the activists of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)

  Hannah Neumann,  on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Madam President, dear colleagues, today, exactly 10 years ago, Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire starting what has long been called the Arab Spring, but was actually smashed with violence in so many places including in Egypt. In Egypt that is today run by a dictator – Mr Berg – a dictator that brands human rights’ defenders as terrorists, who puts people in jail for years for having not more than Whatsapp on their phones. And this dictator was received by President Emmanuel Macron last week who then officially announced that he will continue to supply this dictator with arms irrespective of his human rights record. 
Dear colleagues, that is carte blanche for Macron to do even worse and it is a slap in the face of each and every one who has been fighting for freedom and democracy in the Middle East for the last 10 years, because we all know the arms of France, the arms of Germany and of so many other countries, have been used against the protesters. I don’t want us to go down this road. That is why we need a real arms embargo. We need to suspend any budget support to this regime, and we need to see all the political prisoners freed.
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2020-12-17
Debate: Iran, in particular the case of 2012 Sakharov Prize laureate Nasrin Sotoudeh

  Hannah Neumann,  author. – Madam President, Nasrin Sotoudeh is a human rights lawyer. This means that she uses the laws of her country, Iran, to defend her clients, the people of Iran, against a regime that does not feel bound by any of these laws. The more Nasrin uses these laws, the more absurd become the charges of that regime. The latest one: 33 years and 148 lashes for defending women that took off their hijabs. 
Nasrin has now been 10 years in and out of prison in one of the countries with the cruellest prison conditions, amidst the raging COVID pandemic. Nasrin Sotoudeh really pays a high price for her love of the law and of the people of Iran. I’m full of admiration for this unbreakable woman and I think she rightfully deserved the Sakharov Prize from this Parliament. 
As you all know, Nasrin is not the only one. The regime’s repression got a lot crueller recently, with arrests and executions. Ruhollah Zam was executed last week, while Ahmadreza Djalali is threatened with execution, and no justice has been done for the thousands of protesters in the streets of Iran last year. 
That is why I think it’s so important that we send two clear signals today. One signal to the regime that if they continue like this they will be even more isolated and subject to targeted sanctions. And one signal to the brave Iranians, the vibrant and diverse civil society. You have our full solidarity, our full attention, our full support, as long as this is needed. Because, just like Nasrin, I hope that one day all the prisons of Iran will be turned into museums and parks. 
(Applause)
Speaker: Hannah NEUMANN (Germany — Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
Political group: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Date: 2020-12-16
Debate: The need for a dedicated Council configuration on gender equality (debate)

  Hannah Neumann (Verts/ALE).   – Madam President, I’m just sick and tired of this debate, because gender equality is one of our fundamental values – but in some sectors we are at the moment even moving backwards. In national parliaments across the EU, gender equality would take an average of 60 – six zero – years if you continue at the current speed. I will be dead by then, my children will be retired and we would have lost another two generations, and that is why we really need to get things moving. But Member States, and even those praising themselves for being very progressive, block major steps ahead, and yes, the German Government is part of this, with the Gender Balance on Boards Directive, for example. And that’s why it’s time for us to have this Council configuration, to ensure that we finally get gender mainstreaming across all sectors in all EU Member States. Dear colleagues, gender equality is not the cherry on top of the cake. It’s the cake.
(Applause)