Debate contributions by Evin INCIR

Mr President, at an early age, we women, when we are girls, learn that we need to struggle hard to protect ourselves against both physical and psychological violence. This applies in times of peace as well as in times of war. The perpetrators are spelled M-E-N: men. When we point this out, remarks from offended men quickly arise, saying, 'not all men'. These voices are becoming increasingly common even here in our Parliament, as the far‑right bench grows. Unfortunately, we are also seeing far‑right women joining the chorus. No, not all men commit horrific crimes against women. However, nearly all who commit crimes against women are men. Some 22 % of women in the EU have at some point experienced physical or sexual violence from their partner. This means that the most dangerous place for a woman is their home. Some 55 % of women have experienced sexual harassment, and nearly half of these incidents have occurred in their workplaces. Colleagues, I'm honoured to have had the possibility to lead the effort to establish the EU's first legislation to combat violence against women and domestic violence. However, this legislation is far from sufficient without consent-based rape legislation, because only 'yes' means 'yes'. And finally, I want to end with thanking Commissioner Dalli for the very important work that you have been doing during the mandate that has passed and the courage that you have shown.

Mr President, colleagues, women in Afghanistan are facing a horrific life under the new law enacted by the Taliban regime. This law imposes horrific restrictions that effectively erase women from public life. Women are mandated to cover themselves entirely, their voices silenced in public spaces. Moreover, they cannot move freely unless accompanied by a male relative. It is men who decide over their bodies and voices, perpetuating a cycle of oppression. This extreme gender oppression is not just a violation of basic human rights: it is an affront to dignity and equality. We must stand firm against the systematic targeting of women and girls. Just as we continue supporting the women in Iran and the Jina Revolution, we must also rally for Afghan women facing similar oppression. We cannot turn a blind eye to the gender apartheid that seeks to completely strip women of their freedom. I urge the Commission and the Member States to use all the tools available against the regime. The women of Afghanistan are not alone. Let us press for the immediate revocation of this oppressive law. This is an example of why we need a feminist foreign policy.

Madam President, I would like to thank you for your Colleagues! Organised crime poses a serious danger to our citizens in our Union. It creates an environment of fear and insecurity and, above all, affects our children and young people. I grew up in the Gothenburg suburb of Bergsjön where organized crime grew stronger during the 90s. I am therefore all too familiar with the ruthless consequences of organised crime on the lives of ordinary honest citizens. These criminal networks know no borders. They operate across borders, now also using digital platforms to recruit young people to their criminal activities. We see criminals sitting in luxurious holiday paradises ordering murders and deceiving innocent citizens, all while using social media to recruit so-called child soldiers. Their vile activities are nurtured by the narcotics of the rich. The whole society has a responsibility to end the misery. It is unacceptable that these platforms are used to spread crime and recruit young people into gangs. That is why we must act vigorously. We cannot allow criminals to live in abundance, free from the consequences of their illegal actions. We need to stop social media from becoming tools for criminal gangs by introducing stricter laws that hold digital platforms accountable for their content and how it is used. Strengthen Europol and police cooperation within the EU. Establish a European Centre of Expertise on Drugs and Arms Trafficking. Develop an action plan to strengthen Member States’ efforts to stop new recruitment, including a dedicated coordinator working on this with European authorities and Member States. Colleagues. Children are shooting children in our communities today. It's a crisis situation. We have a responsibility to act now.

Madam President, Colleagues, the Maduro government continues to govern without legitimacy in Venezuela. Their recent elections were neither free nor fair, highlighting the true nature of a regime that constantly oppresses its citizens and disregards their voice. The human toll is staggering, as over 7 million people, nearly a quarter of the population, migrated from the country due to the autocratic rule and economic collapse. Between 2014 and 2023, Amnesty International reports over 15 700 politically motivated arrests targeting unionists, human rights defenders, civil society members, journalists and opposition figures. These individuals face sham processes, and no one should have to fear for their life, for standing up for their human rights. We should welcome the efforts of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico to seek a peaceful and democratic resolution. However, this must include the release of all political prisoners, ending intimidation and attacks against opposition leaders like María Corina Machado and, ultimately, respect for the true will of the Venezuelan people. Moreover, we must condemn the Venezuelan Government's arrest warrant against Edmundo González, and we should applaud Spain for offering him political asylum. It is crucial that EU Member States maintain unity on this issue. I also want to urge the HR/VP and the Council to consider renewing the EU sanctions regime to hold accountable those responsible for grave and systematic human rights violations, including towards Nicolás Maduro himself. We must also fully support the International Criminal Court's investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in Venezuela. The Venezuelan people are counting on us.

Madam President, colleagues, more than 41 000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel, the majority of whom are innocent children and women. Gaza's infrastructure lies in ruins, with a staggering 75 % destruction rate. The European Union must take a firm stance to end this bloodshed. We must also listen to the voices of the Israeli people who have taken to the streets, calling for an end to the violence and the release of hostages. It is clear that both the far-right extremist Netanyahu Government and the terrorist organisation Hamas inflicted trauma on the population in both countries. Now is the time for actions to put an end to the suffering. Suspend all weapon exports to Israel until international law is respected. Even in warfare there are rules that must be upheld. Immediately freeze the EU-Israeli Association Agreement. Implement restrictive measures against the Israeli extremist Ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir. Reinforce sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. All EU Member States must vote in favour of the resolution to be presented at the UN General Assembly on 18 September, demanding Israel to end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Territories within 12 months, according to the ICJ ruling. Support the ongoing work of the ICC. Continue supporting UNRWA, as no credible evidence has been presented to justify allegations against them. We must end this witch hunt. Maintain our support for the Palestinian Authority. Those advocating for cutting funding to UNRWA and the PA are inadvertently aiding Hamas. And recognise Palestine. Finally, all Member States should accept wounded Palestinians from Gaza. Unfortunately, my own Swedish Government has rejected this proposal, despite, for example, Karolinska University Hospital being ready to provide care, just as it did for Ukrainian patients. Let's stand on the side of international law. Let's end the occupation!

Madam President, colleagues, despite previous dialogue efforts, Putin continues to systematically violate international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, which has every right to defend itself. We must support Ukraine as much and as quickly as possible. Just last Sunday, I returned from Kyiv and the message from Kyiv was clear: EU Member States and other actors should lift or ease weapon restrictions and provide long-range systems to help Ukraine defend itself against aggression and brutal attacks on the civilian population. It is absolutely unreasonable that Ukraine is not allowed to fully defend itself from aggression. Missile and drone attacks are being launched from neighbouring locations on the Russian side of the border. The consequences of these serious attacks is the death of Ukrainian civilians, including women and children. The sound of air raid sirens has become a daily reality in Ukraine, as I experienced first-hand during a night with over 70 drone attacks. Finally, I would also like to welcome President Zelenskyy's upcoming roadmap to end this war. Colleagues, let's continue supporting Ukraine. Let's continue supporting international law.

Mr President, I would like to thank you. Colleagues! Hate, intimidation and violence have no place in our Union. Tyranny and hatred should have been relegated to the rubbish dump of history in view of our European history, but unfortunately this is not the reality. Hate is growing stronger and even here in our Parliament. Even in my country, Sweden, we have elected representatives who openly express anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of racism. They are aware that their words lead to consequences. These words lead to violence as we saw in the attack on my Social Democratic colleague Mattias Ecke in Germany. And this is reflected in the policies pursued in some Member States. In Sweden, the Sweden Democrat MP Richard Jomshof, former chairman of the Justice Committee, has recently been forced to resign after being notified of suspicions of incitement to racial hatred. This should have led the ECR group, to which the Sweden Democrats belong, to discuss the exclusion of the Sweden Democrats. Instead, they continue with business as usual. This should also have led the Moderates and the Christian Democrats, who belong to the PPE Group, and the Liberals who belong to the Renew Group, to stand up for what is right and end their cooperation with the Sweden Democrats, but that does not happen. These three parties have no backbone. Instead, the racists are allowed to continue to shape the government's policy in Sweden. It is a scandal that divides both Sweden and the EU. That is to deliberately allow a development that we have long said in our Europe must never happen again.