unimelb-nlp/MultiEup-v2 huggingface dataset:
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Fabio Massimo Castaldo
Political group: NI
Country: France
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signora Commissaria, per l'ennesima volta siamo qui a parlare della Turchia.  Dal fallito colpo di Stato del 2016 le purghe del governo di Ankara non hanno conosciuto alcuna battuta d'arresto. Erdoğan continua a usare l'evento come giustificazione per colpire tutti i suoi critici, per bloccare e detenere i suoi avversari e per consolidare il suo governo. Da quattro anni il governo turco arresta, anzi sequestra, persone affiliate ai gruppi di opposizione e alla società civile, in particolare i membri del Partito democratico del popolo, senza soluzione di continuità. Ora, con la pandemia di COVID-19, ha avuto anche l'ennesimo pretesto per rafforzare il dominio autoritario, approvando nuove leggi restrittive per limitare il dissenso. Quello di Selahattin Demirtas, in carcere ingiustamente da quattro anni in spregio delle sentenze della Corte di giustizia europea, così come quelli degli altri coraggiosi deputati dell'HDP e dei sindaci democraticamente eletti sono tutti casi emblematici, che dimostrano ulteriormente non solo la sordità della Turchia agli appelli internazionali e l'attitudine provocatoria del suo presidente, ma anche lo sprezzo, anzi il disprezzo, per lo Stato di diritto e le istituzioni internazionali. Onorevoli colleghi, l'UE è stata finora sin troppo indulgente nel tentare la via di un dialogo, di fatto unilaterale, con la Turchia. Urge un sussulto di dignità del mondo libero, urge capire che le parole ormai non bastano più. Abbiamo a disposizione un nuovo strumento sanzionatorio efficace e mirato, il cosiddetto Magnitsky Act: se non saremo pronti a usarlo, se continueremo a usare doppi standard e a farci ricattare sulla questione migratoria, non perderemo solo la credibilità, ma sarà anche la nostra dignità a svanire per sempre.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Stelios Kympouropoulos
Political group: PPE
Country: Italy
Language: EL

Κύριε Πρόεδρε, αγαπητοί συνάδελφοι, η Τουρκία και το καθεστώς του Erdogan μας απασχολεί για ακόμα μία φορά. Ο Selahattin Demirtas παραμένει φυλακισμένος από τις 4 Νοεμβρίου 2016 σε φυλακές υψίστης ασφαλείας στην Αδριανούπολη, χωρίς να έχει διαπράξει κάποιο αδίκημα. Δεν είναι η πρώτη φορά που ο πρόεδρος Erdogan φυλακίζει ανθρώπους που δεν συμφωνούν με τις απόψεις του ή πιστεύει ότι τον απειλούν. Συνολικά έχει απολύσει 150.000 ανθρώπους και έχει φυλακίσει 80.000 ως δήθεν συμμέτοχους στο πραξικόπημα του 2016 και υποστηρικτές του Gulen. Στην Τουρκία, το κράτος δικαίου και η διάκριση μεταξύ των εξουσιών έχει καταλυθεί εδώ και χρόνια και τα δικαιώματα των Τούρκων πολιτών καταπατούνται.  Δεν μπορεί το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο να ζητάει από την Πολωνία, τη Βουλγαρία και την Ουγγαρία να ενισχύσουν το κράτος δικαίου και την ίδια ώρα να επιτρέπει στην υπό ένταξη Τουρκία να διολισθήσει σε δικτατορικές πρακτικές. Μέχρι πότε, ως Ευρώπη, θα το ανεχόμαστε και θα συνηγορούμε δια της σιωπής μας σε ένα αυταρχικό καθεστώς; Η φωνή του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου είναι δυνατή και ένα σαφές μήνυμα προς τον πρόεδρο Erdogan.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Evin Incir
Political group: S-D
Country: Hungary
Language: EN

Mr President, the case of Selahattin Demirtaş is a story about a father, a human rights lawyer and a well—respected politician, but it is also a story about people, the Kurdish people and many other people in Turkey under oppression by different governments, and currently the national conservative AKP government. Thanks to the European Court of Human Rights many have got restoration, some through economic compensation, others through freedom from imprisonment. The case of Selahattin Demirtaş is the story of a person, but also of a people.  That the Turkish Government refuses to respect the 22 December 2020 ruling of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights is unacceptable. Commissioner Dalli, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs is here these days. Will you and the High Commissioner receive my challenge to raise the issue of immediately releasing Mr Demirtaş and all other political prisoners. And will you also accept my challenge to put this on the table at the next meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers? Finally, I just want to quote my colleague Nacho Sánchez Amor: ‘That’s enough with the love letters.’ It is time for action. It is time for democracy.’
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Barry Andrews
Political group: Renew
Country: Ireland
Language: EN

Mr President, I visited a pediatric hospital in Gaziantep in southern Turkey, and in the incubators were many tiny Syrian babies. I was amazed at how little social unrest flowed from the impact on public health services in that area, despite the large Syrian displaced population. When we criticise the Turkish Government, and we should, we should also remember the incredible welcome and, ultimately, vindication of human rights provided by the Turkish people to their Arabic-speaking neighbours in the decade since the Syrian uprising. I wonder if that welcome would be provided in every EU country. I know that in my own country, there are instances where reception centres for asylum seekers were burned down mysteriously before refuge could be provided to anybody seeking protection and fleeing a well-founded fear of persecution. I have no illusions about the Turkish Government. I will continue to campaign for İlhan Sami Çomak. He has been in jail since 1994. His case was found unsafe by the European Court of Human Rights in 2007 and he’s still in jail in 2021. It’s an outrage. But if we are to keep alive the dream of a common European future, we have to draw distinctions between the Turkish Government on the one hand, and the Turkish people on the other hand.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Bernhard Zimniok
Political group: ID
Language: DE

Herr Präsident! Wieder und wieder ist Erdoğan Thema hier im Parlament. Heute prangern wir erneut die eklatanten Missachtungen von Grund- und Menschenrechten in der Türkei an, klagen den türkischen Despoten an. Zu oft haben wir das bereits getan und nichts ist passiert. Aber warum in die Ferne schweifen, das Schlechte liegt doch so nah! Auch in Deutschland gibt es erhebliche Demokratiedefizite. Auf der einen Seite wird da die Unterdrückung der kurdischen HDP und anderer angeprangert, und auf der anderen Seite wird mit Propaganda, der Instrumentalisierung des Verfassungsschutzes und den zwangsfinanzierten öffentlich-rechtlichen Medien gegen die AfD – die einzige Oppositionspartei in Deutschland – vorgegangen. Das Ziel: Die Ausgrenzung und letztendlich die Vernichtung eines lästigen Gegners im politischen Spiel. Und genauso wird die ID-Fraktion hier im Europäischen Parlament behandelt. Haben wir einen Vize- Präsidenten, einen Ausschussvorsitzenden, welche uns laut Geschäftsordnung zustehen? Nein. Zu Beginn der Legislaturperiode haben alle Fraktionen hier in diesem Hause stolz den  Ich will Erdoğan nicht verteidigen. Nichts läge mir ferner, wie meine zahlreichen Reden hier zu diesem Thema belegen. Aber was hier in diesem Hause betrieben wird, ist pure Scheinheiligkeit, eine offen gezeigte Doppelmoral. Deshalb, liebe Kollegen, bevor Ihr Demokratiedefizite weltweit beheben wollt, fangt einmal hier an!
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Ryszard Czarnecki
Political group: ECR
Country: France
Language: PL

Panie Przewodniczący! Dobrze, że rozmawiamy o Turcji, bo to bardzo ważny kraj, bardzo ważny partner Unii Europejskiej, też niesłychanie istotny członek NATO, który w swoim regionie na pewno stabilizuje sytuację w kontekście tego, co dzieje się chociażby w Iraku czy Syrii. Dziesięć dni temu na spotkaniu z ambasadorami krajów członkowskich Unii minister spraw zagranicznych Turcji zapowiedział, nazwijmy to, pewną liberalizację i stwierdził, że przez ostatnie parę lat walczono w Turcji z terroryzmem, ale teraz czas skupić się na sprawach gospodarczych. Jakie to będzie miało konsekwencje? Zobaczymy. Myślę, że jest to krok w dobrym kierunku.  Myślę, że trzeba z Turcją rozmawiać, trzeba przedstawiać nasze argumenty, trzeba szukać tego, co łączy, i oczywiście upominać się o te sprawy, które tego wymagają. Myślę, że trzeba przede wszystkim dialogu.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Isabel Wiseler-Lima
Political group: PPE
Country: Czechia
Language: FR

Monsieur le Président, la Turquie a un statut de pays candidat à l’adhésion à l’Union européenne. Avec ce statut, la Turquie a pris l’engagement de respecter la liberté, la démocratie, l’état de droit, les droits de l’homme, le pluralisme, la justice, ainsi que de se mettre en mesure d’appliquer le droit européen. Le rappel est nécessaire puisque les autorités turques ne suivent même pas les jugements de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme auxquels elles sont soumises.  Un jugement de 2018 de cette Cour, confirmé en décembre 2020, oblige les autorités turques à la libération immédiate de Selahattin Demirtas. La Cour a jugé que la détention de M. Demirtas avait des motivations politiques et exprimé ses craintes quant à des interférences gouvernementales dans les affaires judiciaires.  Si le président Erdoğan veut donc donner un début de crédibilité à ses engagements récents de procéder aux réformes nécessaires pour relancer le processus d’adhésion de la Turquie à l’Union européenne, il pourrait commencer par mettre en œuvre les décisions de la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme et faire libérer M. Demirtas. Un geste minimal qui devra être suivi de beaucoup d’autres pour que nous puissions commencer à croire à des promesses jusqu’ici jamais tenues.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Nikos Androulakis
Political group: S-D
Country: Greece
Language: EL

Κύριε Πρόεδρε, ο Selahattin Demirtas είναι όμηρος του Erdogan. Βρίσκεται εδώ και 4 χρόνια στη φυλακή χωρίς δίκη. Η σύλληψή του είναι το τίμημα του αγώνα για ειρηνική επίλυση του κουρδικού ζητήματος, είναι το τίμημα για μια δημοκρατική Τουρκία που θα σέβεται τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Μαζί του διώκονται και άλλοι βουλευτές, εκλεγμένοι δήμαρχοι και στελέχη του HDP· γιατί το HDP δεν είναι μόνο ένα φιλοκουρδικό κόμμα αλλά μια παράταξη που συσπειρώνει γύρω της ευρύτερες προοδευτικές δυνάμεις, που δεν ανέχονται τον αυταρχισμό του σημερινού προέδρου της Τουρκίας. Για αυτό, ο Erdogan τους χτυπά ανελέητα. «Ξέρω τι με περιμένει, αλλά δεν μπορώ να μην επιστρέψω στο πλευρό του λαού μου», είχε πει στην Επιτροπή Εξωτερικών Υποθέσεων την τελευταία φορά που επισκέφθηκε τις Βρυξέλλες πριν από τη σύλληψή του ο Demirtas. Τώρα είναι η δική μας σειρά να σταθούμε στο δικό του πλευρό, όχι με λόγια, αλλά με πράξεις· για αυτό θα κριθείτε στο Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο του Μαρτίου. Το Ευρωπαϊκό Δικαστήριο Ανθρωπίνων Δικαιωμάτων έδειξε το δρόμο που οφείλουμε να ακολουθήσουμε.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Anna Bonfrisco
Political group: ID
Country: Belgium
Language: IT

Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, signor Alto rappresentante e signora Commissaria, io trovo ironico che il presidente Erdoğan ci inviti a fare la scelta ontologica di ammettere la Turchia nell'Unione europea. È ironico politicamente, ma tragico e doloroso per le sue vittime, i suoi cittadini, i suoi legittimi oppositori politici, che in una democrazia hanno il diritto e lo spazio pubblico di esprimersi liberamente. La Turchia di oggi è una sfida strategica per l'Europa perché il modello di filosofia politica e di Islam politico proposto non è democratico, non è tollerante, non è aperto al dialogo e non promuove i diritti inalienabili. Il modello politico di Stato turco che lui ci offre è quindi antieuropeo ed è grottesco che ci chieda di porre fine a quella che lui chiama la "retorica contro la Turchia". Non è retorica, è la voce della dignità umana calpestata, oggi è la voce di Selahattin Demirtas.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Andreas Schieder
Political group: S-D
Country: Germany
Language: DE

Herr Präsident, Frau Kommissarin! Wir fordern die sofortige und unverzügliche Freilassung von Selahattin Demirtaș, von Figen Yüksekdağ sowie von vielen anderen Inhaftierten der Opposition: Abgeordnete, Bürgermeister, Journalistinnen und Journalisten, Mitglieder der oppositionellen HDP und anderer Parteien. Am 4. November 2016 wurde Demirtaș mit acht anderen Mitgliedern des Parlaments in der Türkei, mit acht anderen Abgeordneten, verhaftet. Seit vier Jahren sitzt der ehemalige Abgeordnete und Präsidentschaftskandidat unschuldig in türkischen Gefängnissen. Der Europäische Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte hat mehrfach festgestellt, dass die Verhaftung menschenrechtswidrig war und dass Demirtaș und die anderen unverzüglich freizulassen sind. Immer wieder werden Abgeordnete, auch der oppositionellen CHP wie zum Beispiel Kaftancıoğlu und andere, immer wieder werden Journalistinnen und Journalisten verhaftet und unrechtmäßig verurteilt. Menschenrechte sind in der Türkei unter Druck. Daher fordern wir die Freilassung und dass die Türkei endlich Menschenrechtsstandards und den Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte anerkennt.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Helena Dalli
Language: EN

Meanwhile, the European Court of Human Rights issued decisions confirming our concerns and calling for immediate action. It concluded that Mr Demirtas’s extended detention violated the European Convention on Human Rights, including its Article 18. Moreover, the Turkish Constitutional Court stated that his right to freedom and security was violated during his trial and on remand beyond a reasonable period. What more can I say? Also, this House knows very well the situation of human rights defender, Osman Kavala, who has been held in pre—trial detention since November 2017, as well as the tragic case of Ebru Timtik. Moreover, decisions and actions taken by the Turkish authorities against mayors from opposition parties remain deeply concerning. Hundreds of local politicians, elected office holders and thousands of members of the People’s Democratic Party have been detained on terrorism-related charges, since the local elections in March 2019. Investigations were launched against others. Some even considered banning the HDP, which would clearly send a further very worrying signal.  We have always acknowledged that the Turkish Government has a legitimate right to fight terrorism. But it is also responsible for ensuring compliance with the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are enshrined in Turkey’s Constitution and its international commitments. Concerns for the freedom of assembly in Turkey have also risen recently due to an amended regulation, which gives the Turkish police and intelligence access to military weaponry. We also cannot underestimate the threat that the recent law on preventing financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction presents to Turkish civil society, which already operates in a hostile environment.  The EU will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground and to support Turkish civil society and human rights activists who face continuous pressure. We have made clear in our statements, most recently on 30 December, that, as a candidate country and long-standing member of the Council of Europe, Turkey urgently needs to make concrete and sustained progress in this and the respect of fundamental rights, which are a cornerstone of EU—Turkey relations. Progress on the cases of Mrs Demirtas and Kavala and other human rights cases is of the essence.
Debate: Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Costas Mavrides
Political group: S-D
Country: Latvia
Language: EL

Αν τα πιο πάνω αφορούσαν μια άλλη χώρα, θα είχαν ήδη επιβληθεί αυστηρές κυρώσεις (εμπόριο, αμυντικός τομέας κ.ά.) αλλά για την Τουρκία συγκεκριμένες κυβερνήσεις κρατών μελών τις εμποδίζουν. Ιδιαίτερα η Γερμανία προχωρά στην πώληση υπερσύγχρονων υποβρυχίων στην Τουρκία, για να χρησιμοποιηθούν ενάντια στα ευρωπαϊκά συμφέροντα και σε κράτη μέλη στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο. Απευθύνομαι στους νουνεχείς, που αντιλαμβάνονται τους κινδύνους για τα ευρωπαϊκά συμφέροντα. Η επιβολή αυστηρών κυρώσεων αποτελεί μονόδρομο για έμπρακτη συμμόρφωση της Τουρκίας στις αποφάσεις του Ευρωπαϊκού Δικαστηρίου για τερματισμό της καταπίεσης και της φυλάκισης των πολιτικά διαφωνούντων. Στο πρόσωπο του Ντεμιρτάς, τιμάμε τη συνείδηση της ανθρωπότητας που αγωνίζεται για ελευθερία, δικαιοσύνη και τα ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα. Γι’ αυτό και τον πρότεινα για το βραβείο Ζαχάρωφ.
Debate: Human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular the case of human rights journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Pedro Silva Pereira
Country: Bulgaria
Language: PT

Segue-se o debate sobre sete propostas de resolução sobre a situação dos direitos humanos no Vietname, em particular o caso dos jornalistas defensores dos direitos humanos Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy e Le Huu Minh Tuan ( _______________ * Ver ata.
Debate: Human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular the case of human rights journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Marco Campomenosi
Country: Portugal
Language: IT

L'area del sud-est asiatico ha delle tensioni geopolitiche forti, su cui probabilmente le nostre istituzioni dovrebbero concentrarsi. Le tensioni fra Cina e Vietnam, l'assestamento geopolitico di paesi come Laos e Cambogia, però, non giustificano cosa sta avvenendo all'interno del regime vietnamita, con arresti di giornalisti e blogger, un ruolo dei social media che, come abbiamo visto anche nel mondo occidentale, è molto problematico e forse in alcuni casi, su quanto avvenuto in Vietnam, è anche complice di una situazione che ovviamente riguarda la libertà di espressione. Negli emendamenti del mio gruppo politico inseriamo dei riferimenti anche al problema importante della libertà religiosa, che vede una limitazione forte anche nei confronti dei cristiani, che non sono una minoranza molto piccola: rappresentano ben il 9 % circa degli abitanti del paese. Quindi è chiaro che il nostro ruolo qui è molto in difficoltà: l'accordo commerciale che abbiamo raggiunto – che piace molto alle multinazionali, che cercano lavoratori a basso costo, e che penalizza gli agricoltori, per esempio, nel mio paese, quelli del riso – contiene delle clausole che il Vietnam, lo sapevamo, non applica sui diritti umani, per cui dovremmo renderci conto se non danneggia poi alla fine anche la nostra credibilità di istituzioni europee che lavorano su accordi che non vengono poi mai applicati.
Debate: Human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular the case of human rights journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Mick Wallace
Country: Germany
Language: EN

Why don’t we want to talk about Yemen, or Ethiopia? We have not had one resolution on the Saudi-UAE genocidal war being waged against the people of Yemen. The UN says the greatest humanitarian crisis in the world is taking place there. Millions are being intentionally starved to death. The UN says the number of people in Tigray, in northern Ethiopia, in need of life-saving assistance is at least 2.3 million, as a result of the war crimes of the unelected Abiy Ahmed. The changing of the guard in Ethiopia in 2018 was considered by the US as an opportunity for disrupting Chinese influence and now the US and the EU turn a blind Abiy’s war crimes, and all we want to talk about it in here are US-backed protesters in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the EU and our friends are immune from criticism and when you have armed contracts with totalitarian regimes, who carry out terrible atrocities, you look the other way. I will take seriously the concern expressed in here for US-paid journalists imprisoned in Vietnam when you deal with the millions of starving and dying children in Yemen and demand they be free from Saudi-UAE aggression and free from the fear of the weapons of the US, Canadian, UK, French, German, Swedish Spanish and Belgian countries blowing them to pieces.
Debate: Human rights situation in Vietnam, in particular the case of human rights journalists Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan
Date: THURSDAY, 21 JANUARY 2021
Speaker: Saskia Bricmont
Country: France
Language: FR

Je me rappelle que, face aux sceptiques comme moi, les défenseurs de l’accord affirmaient qu’il permettrait de faire évoluer la situation des droits humains au bénéfice de l’ensemble de la population. Si, en effet, des engagements ont été pris en matière de réforme du droit du travail, la question des droits humains au Viêt Nam dépasse la seule ratification des conventions de l’OIT. Depuis, la répression s’est en effet accélérée. Politique commerciale et droits humains seraient donc deux éléments distincts. Pas pour Pham Chi Dung, président de l’association des journalistes indépendants, arrêté quelques jours après s’être directement adressé à nous avec un regard critique sur le processus de ratification de l’accord commercial. Condamné à 15 ans de prison pour cela, il fait partie avec Nguyen Tuong Thuy et Le Huu Minh Tuan, condamnés à 11 ans de prison, des trois journalistes pour lesquels nous exigeons aujourd’hui à une large majorité, la libération inconditionnelle. La délégation du service européen d’action extérieure à Hanoï continue de s’inquiéter de la condamnation de centaines d’autres militants pacifistes, confirmant une réduction préoccupante de l’espace de liberté d’expression, de rassemblement et d’association dans le pays. Notre résolution demande donc la libération des journalistes et des militants, l’amélioration des conditions de détention, en particulier dans le contexte de pandémie actuel, l’adoption d’un moratoire sur la peine de mort ainsi que le rappel au Viêt Nam de ses engagements envers sa propre population, l’Union européenne et la communauté internationale.