22/06/2023 | 19:44:33 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr Paul GAVAN for the huge amount of work he’s done as our rapporteur on issues facing Azerbaijan and Armenia, notably surrounding the Lachan corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh. It is outrageous that he was denied access to the Lachan corridor in order to prepare a proper report for us on this subject. His diligence, supported by the very efficient Migration Committee team resulted in a very comprehensive... 21/06/2023 | 19:47:14 Thank you, Madam President, It is good fortune to follow our friend who has just spoken. I couldn't, again, disagree with him more. It's as though the whole speaking arrangements have been designed to make us a double act. I just remind him and remind everyone else: to seek asylum is not illegal. It is clear from the 1951 Geneva Convention that that is absolutely the case. When he talks about criminal gangs that are involved in people smuggling and people trafficking, yes, there are people... 21/06/2023 | 17:56:06 Hello. I couldn't disagree more with the speaker who's just addressed this Assembly than I intended to do now. Frankly, it was racist hate speech against people who've made their homes in this continent in order to survive, to avoid human rights abuses, and the effects of wars, and have made a massive contribution to our world, to our community, and to our society. I would like to take our Hungarian friend to my own community, where I'm proud to represent a constituency where there are 100... 25/04/2023 | 20:03:07 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) I am very grateful to Mr George KATROUGALOS for his presentation today and the excellent draft resolution that is before us. This debate goes to the very heart of the whole principles of the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights. They were both far sighted creations of a post-war generation determined to protect human rights across Europe and have had a very beneficial effect on the rights of citizens and... 25/01/2023 | 19:28:49 ...and it's a pleasure to take part in this debate. I think the quality of discussion about these three excellent reports really is a credit to this Assembly. I think the speech we've just heard from Ms Minerva HERNÁNDEZ RAMOS, from Mexico, shows the value of having observer delegations here who can take part in our debates. The essential part of this is of course about the Istanbul Convention. The Istanbul Convention was signed some years ago. It's been ratified by the majority of countries... 25/01/2023 | 10:24:56 Thank you, Mr President. I rise on behalf of the Socialist Group to support and welcome this report and complement Mr John HOWELL on the incredibly detailed research work that has gone into it. I think it is a very welcome report indeed. The environmental impacts of war never go away. In our own countries – pretty well every country in Europe – still finds unexploded ordnance from the Second World War, which causes local huge havoc. And the destruction of many natural places in the Pacific... 23/06/2022 | 19:26:26 Thank you, Madam Chair. It's a pleasure to be able to speak in this. I thank the rapporteur for the debate which has ensured we can have a serious discussion about the power of social media. Social media and platforms are a massive ability around the world for people to communicate with each other, but they're also powerful. They're also controlled by very powerful people. The illusion that we often have of the freedom to communicate on social media platforms is one that is actually – as many... 23/06/2022 | 16:20:35 I'm delighted to take part in this debate. It's a timely one and a very important one. This Council of Europe, above all, exists as a protector of human rights across Europe. We are the protectors of the European Convention on Human Rights. We elect judges to the European Court of Human Rights. We are fundamentally about human rights, so I'm beyond disappointed that my government has done two completely wrong things in my view. Yesterday, they announced the introduction of a British bill of... 24/01/2022 | 19:26:29 Thank you Madam Chair. Can you hear me now? First of all, thank you very much and also my congratulations to Mr Tiny KOX on being elected as our President. I'm very pleased. I'm sure he will do a fantastic job. This report is very disappointing in many ways. One of which is it doesn't take into account the global situation facing refugees. 70 million people around the world are refugees. Whilst it obviously is an issue for a number of European countries, particularly Turkey, Greece, Italy... 29/09/2021 | 17:39:35 Thank you very much and I am very pleased that the whole day has been given over to the environment in this very important session of the Council of Europe and the reports we have got in front of us are excellent and provide a very good legal and political way forward. But I think the standout contribution today has been from Anuna, the young environmental activist, who showed the determination and thirst of young people all over this continent, and indeed all over the world, to try and bring...