Presentation of the Amnesty International album “We Tell the Truth to Power,” Patras

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Anna Karamanou MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT President of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

I feel great joy and honor to be here with members of Amnesty International, to talk about human rights on such an important day as today, the International Day in Memory of the Victims of Torture, an occasion that makes the presentation of the book “We Tell the Truth to Power” by Kerry Kennedy Cuomo especially timely.

The personal testimonies of the victims themselves prove that the horrific and ancient practice of torture continues to be implemented in one-third of the countries in the world. It is characteristic that, apart from a few local variations, the methods of torture tend to resemble each other across the planet, because the intended goal is always and everywhere the same: the thirst for power combined with the absence of basic respect for democracy and human rights.

In recent years, the awareness and mobilization of the international community have sparked hopes for the reduction of the phenomenon. However, unfortunately, torturers still find ways to cover their tracks. For example, according to witness testimonies at the Medical Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims in Athens, it is observed that in Turkey, alongside torture units, small medical units are set up to ensure the rapid disappearance of the scars caused by physical torture. Furthermore, it has now become “fashionable” to focus on psychological torture, those that leave no visible marks, yet have the same, if not more severe, consequences for the health of the victim, their family, and society.

The positive development is that we are now able to diagnose and prove the application of torture even in cases such as the ones mentioned above. And we owe this to the work of people who, like the heroes of this book, fight for the fundamental rights of humans, shaping with their own actions the better future they dream of.

I would like to warmly thank you for the invitation to attend the presentation of this exceptional book by Kerry Kennedy Cuomo. This book represents an important contribution to the public’s awareness and education on human rights, as it documents the experiences of people involved in a wide range of human rights advocacy. It covers human rights violations occurring in all parts of the world, such as police violence, absolute poverty, the violation of women’s and children’s rights, and others that have, in some way, a local character, such as the rights of indigenous people, the disappeared during times of dictatorship, the struggle for self-determination of national minorities and ethnic groups, and the mutilation of female genitalia.

Until a few years ago, such “local” problems remained almost unknown. Specifically, during the Cold War period, the only way they could transcend the narrow geographical boundaries within which they were confined was by being seen as a threat from one side or the other to humanity. Thus, the “disappearances” of political opponents during the dictatorships in Latin American countries and the purges of opponents under Stalin in the Soviet Union were considered, by friends, a necessary evil, and by opponents, proof of the cruelty that the rival power could display. Similarly, when human rights violations could not be framed within this context, they did not evoke the same emotional response.

Today, with the development of telecommunications and satellite systems, things are different. Often, when we become aware of some of the many forms that oppression and exploitation of one human by another can take, we may feel that we still have a long way to go for a fairer world, a world of equality and rule of law for all people, regardless of gender, race, religion, age, or beliefs. Yet, the mere fact that we now know so much about the situation that prevails even in the most remote corners of the world is a significant achievement that we should never underestimate.

Today, the testimonies of people who have directly or indirectly experienced the horrors of honor crimes, forced prostitution, public executions, and torture can mobilize thousands of others, around the world, to fight against the violation of human rights, whatever form it may take. It is my belief that, just as the ^19th century was the century of class struggle, the ^21st century will be the century of the struggle for human rights and the elimination of inhuman traditions, violence, intolerance, and fundamentalism.

However, it is necessary to highlight the new forms of exploitation and violations of fundamental rights that have emerged with particular intensity after the collapse of the Soviet bloc and the economic impoverishment of large social groups. I am referring to the trafficking of women and children for economic and sexual exploitation. According to estimates by the United Nations and the International Organization for Migration, over 500,000 victims of human trafficking are trafficked annually within the European Union. Flows from Eastern and Central European countries are continuously increasing, adding to those from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Women and children are particularly affected by this modern form of slavery, which violates fundamental human rights and is linked both to poverty and the subordinate status of women in society, as well as to the culture of violence and patriarchy. Greece is directly impacted by the activities of internationally organized criminal networks because, due to its geographical location, it is a country of reception as well as a transit point for trafficking victims. Therefore, beyond the existing legislation, initiatives must be taken, and specific measures must be designed to combat sexual violence and the trafficking of women and children.

One such effective measure could be the establishment of a European Center/Observatory for Human Trafficking in Greece. I have submitted a related, comprehensive proposal to the relevant authorities.

The main purpose of the Center would be to strengthen the response, in Greece and across the European Union, to the problem of violence against women and children, with particular attention to the most vulnerable population groups, such as victims of domestic violence, single-parent families, victims of forced prostitution and trafficking, and migrant women. The Center will aim to enhance the capabilities and structures of the European Union in providing assistance and protection to the aforementioned groups, as well as in developing and promoting European approaches to improve prevention programs, combat the activities of criminal networks, and protect victims. The Center will also focus on raising public awareness about the issue of violence and human trafficking and will contribute to strengthening the ability of victims to integrate into the broader social and professional framework.

A significant ally is also the European Parliament, which is committed to the protection of human rights. The European Parliament has the power of assent, which it utilizes on every occasion to promote respect for fundamental rights, both within and outside the European Union. Thus, the European Parliament has rejected, in the name of human rights, a series of funding protocols that were to be concluded with third countries, forcing these countries to release political prisoners or to sign international commitments for the protection of human rights.

Thanks to the Parliament, the Cotonou Agreement, which links the European Union with 77 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP), now includes a “democracy clause.” This clause provides the possibility of suspending aid to countries responsible for serious human rights violations. Additionally, in 1988, the European Parliament established the Sakharov Prize, which is awarded annually to one or more individuals or even a group of people who have distinguished themselves in the effort to defend human rights. In 1995, the Sakharov Prize was awarded to Leyla Zana, who has been in prison since 1994 for daring to speak Kurdish in the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

The European Union has set as a specific goal to provide its citizens with an increased level of protection within the framework of an area of freedom, security, and justice. The European Parliament, through the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, as well as the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, which I have the honor to chair, is deeply committed to achieving this goal for all those residing in the Union.

Unfortunately, however, the messages we receive leave little room for complacency. As you know, every year the Parliament prepares a report on the state of fundamental rights in the European Union. In the latest, lengthy report, prepared by MEP Joke Swiebel, a wide range of human rights violations that are committed daily within the member states of the Union against their own citizens is described. The report sparked a storm of reactions, as it clashed with established practices in the member states, but it was eventually adopted by the plenary of the European Parliament on January 15, 2003.

It is also well known that in recent years there has been a broader discussion about the precise duties of the European Parliament regarding the issue of human rights within the Union, and particularly about the role of its annual report. The contribution of Non-Governmental Organizations, such as Amnesty International, is extremely important in this discussion. With its report “A Critical Assessment of the European Parliament’s Reports on Human Rights” (March 21, 2002), it actively and creatively contributes to the ongoing dialogue.

It is therefore essential to foster as close a cooperation as possible between civil society and institutional bodies that, like the European Parliament, are open to dialogue and proposals. The stories told by the protagonists in Mrs. Kennedy’s interviews provide irrefutable evidence that the value of each individual’s personal participation is irreplaceable and that human experiences cannot easily be substituted by the actions of institutional bodies. These profound experiences, which are the life stories of people more or less known for their work, serve as undeniable testimony to what significant things a person can achieve when determined to resist injustice. The dissemination of their stories strengthens the struggle of all for the protection of fundamental human rights. I hope that the movement created by these individuals will gain momentum in the coming years so that not only will those in power hear the truth they speak, but they will also be forced to use it for the benefit of humankind.