22/04/2026 | 17:52:52 Madam President, Dear colleagues, First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur for this important report. As put forward in the report, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has always defended a clear principle: the death penalty has no place in any system based on human dignity, the right to life and prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. That's why recent developments in Israel are deeply troubling. Last month, the Knesset adopted a new law expanding the... 20/04/2026 | 11:58:28 Dear President, Dear colleagues, I had the honour to lead the Parliamentary Assembly delegation that observed early elections to the Assembly of Kosovo on 28 December 2025. I thank my colleagues in the delegation, the authorities of Kosovo, the Council of Europe Secretariat and the Council of Europe Office in Pristina for their support. These elections took place in a difficult political context. They were the fourth elections in one year and followed a period of institutional deadlock. Our... 28/01/2026 | 11:06:20 Dear colleagues, Let me begin by thanking the rapporteur for this highly timely and much needed report. At the moment, when debates on democratic backsliding are intensifying across our continent, this report reminds us of something essential: democracy cannot be sustained by institutions alone. It must be sustained by people, and especially by young people. For decades after the Second World War, when democracy became firmly rooted in Europe, each new generation lived better than the... 02/10/2025 | 19:14:14 Thank you, Madam President. Dear colleagues, Before my speech, I would like to to note that today is the 68th birthday of Mr Osman KAVALA, who has spent the last eight years of his life in Silivri Prison as a political prisoner. I wish him happy birthday and a long and healthy life with his loved ones. Anyway, in this debate we are discussing two very important reports. The subjects of these reports embody a crucial vision in the field of human rights. Human rights are not only about the... 01/10/2025 | 13:05:38 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear President, Dear colleagues, Serbia is undergoing a period of heightened political tension, characterised by widespread public discontent over corruption, perceived government mismanagement, and erosion of democratic norms. The main reasons for the recent protests include the terrible accident in Novi Sad in November 2024, when the roof of a train station collapsed, killing 16 people. Students were among the first to mobilise, demanding... 25/06/2025 | 20:42:59 Thank you, Mr President. Dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to extend my gratitude to Saskia for her outstanding work. Like her previous contributions, this report holds great significance for the policy recommendations and decisions of our Assembly. I believe the issue of justice brought to the Agenda through the concept of just transition in the report is of great importance. We must pay attention to the disparities in development between countries and regions, as well as the... 25/06/2025 | 18:57:09 First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur. This report is of great importance both in terms of its timing and its content. Social mobilisation has been on the agenda since the earliest days of democratic politics. As democracy has evolved to foster consensus-building and the establishment of a space for critical and rational debate, there has been a decline in the expression of social unrest through protests. However, at the most advanced stages of democratic consolidation, the door... 09/04/2025 | 20:00:57 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) It is truly heartbreaking that in a country like mine—one that adopted its first constitution in 1876 and has held elections for decades—democracy and the people’s right to vote are now under threat. Like millions of citizens of the Republic of Turkey, I cannot accept the situation my country has been forced into. I have known İmamoğlu for many years. I have no doubt about his innocence. But I want you to know that for us, this is not a... 31/01/2025 | 11:46:18 First of all, I would like to congratulate you, Mister President, for your re-election and wish you success in this important position. Dear colleagues, The topic of our session is free debate, but I want to inform you about some people I know in my country, Türkiye, who are not free. You are all well aware of Mr Osman KAVALA who who remains imprisoned, despite two rulings by the European Court of Human Rights and our Parliamentary Assembly calling for his immediate release. Similarly, Mr... 29/01/2025 | 11:46:12 History education should be a key part of human rights education and a foundation for young people to develop democratic citizenship, which is based on the respect for different opinions, pluralism, tolerance, and diversity. In our Committee, we strongly believe that multiperspectivity and the appropriate handling of controversial and sensitive issues in history lessons can be a powerful tool to support peace and reconciliation in our societies. However, delivering quality history education...