Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A925-W605

魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A925-W605

Release Date: March 6, 2016

发布日：2016年3月6日

Topic: Intervention at the Second "Human Rights Without Borders" Exhibition and Prize Award Ceremony at US Congress -- by Antoine Ripoll, Head of EPLO

标题：在第二届“人权无国界”展暨魏京生基金会“人权与自由捍卫者”颁奖典礼上的讲话（欧洲议会驻美国国会办公室负责人：安托恩·瑞珀利）

Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)

此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

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Intervention at the Second "Human Rights Without Borders" Exhibition and Prize Award Ceremony at US Congress

-- Antoine Ripoll, Head of EPLO (The European Parliament Liaison Office with the US Congress)

11 February 2016 - 16.00/18.00, Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building

Dear Wei Jingsheng,

Dear Members of the US Congress,

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,

It is an honour and a real pleasure to welcome you all this afternoon.

Wei Jingsheng has been working closely with the European Parliament since he was awarded the Sakharov prize in 1996.

I know that many Members of Congress have been working with you, Mr. Wei, even when you were still in China before and during your imprisonment.

In the European Parliament, the annual award of the Sakharov Prize is always an extremely high profile event, and our Institution considers that it has a particular responsibility to cooperate as closely as possible with all the prize winners, whatever their circumstances.

In 2008, on the 20th anniversary of the Sakharov Prize, the Sakharov Prize Network was established, and Mr. Wei was present in Strasbourg, France on that occasion, as a founder member.

Amongst the winners of the prize in 2005 was the NGO "Reporters without Borders" and once again, we are very pleased to cooperate with them on this event.

We have with us this evening a remarkable array of experienced and prestigious human rights activists from Freedom House, the National Endowment for Democracy and Human Rights Watch.

Thank you to you all who help us in our work as an institution in Europe and in the United States.

Bob Bernstein, who is receiving an award tonight as a "Human rights and freedom defender", has been a real pioneer in this field, having worked with Andrei Sakharov and others to ensure that their written work is widely published throughout the world.

The other award winner this evening is Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has never hesitated to use her great political authority to advance the cause of human rights in China.

Our event this evening takes place at a time when the opponents of Human Rights are attempting to seize the political initiative in many parts of the world.

I know that there are some in the USA who somehow fear that the European Union would cave in under pressure from events in the Ukraine and Syria.

I can assure you that in spite of all the challenges, Europeans have learnt the lessons of our history, that respect for Human Rights is a universal and fundamental objective.

The challenges of today only confirm that basic reality.

In both Europe and the US, we should maintain the courage of our convictions.

The work of people like Wei Jingsheng and their remarkable courage and perseverance provides us all with the inspiration that we really need at such a difficult time.

Let me underline, that the European Parliament conceives its work in a way which is not intended attack any particular country, since we believe that Human Rights are universal.

For example, the most recent winner of the Sakharov Prize is Raif Badawi, who is being brutally treated in Saudi Arabia.

The European Parliament has, however, equally strongly condemned the violations of Human Rights in Iran, and in 2012 the prize was awarded to two Iranian activists.

In Myanmar this week, Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1990 winner, has taken up her rightful place as an elected political leader having spent decades under house arrest.

Both the European Parliament and the US Congress actively stood by her and can share a real sense of achievement in her case.

There are many issues where European and American legislators have different priorities.

On the cause of human rights, however, we have been able to liaise in the fullest possible sense with many Members and Staffers in both Houses of Congress.

Over the years, our own sub-committee on Human Rights has worked closely with the Tom Lantos Commission and I take this opportunity to recognise and thank the next speaker, the Chair of the Lantos Commission, Rep. James McGovern.

Finally, a word of thanks to Ciping for putting together this very special occasion.

EPLO, the European Parliament office here in DC is really honoured to have been invited to help host the event.

Thank you for your attention.

Related photos:

1. Antoine Ripoll, Head of the European Parliament Liaison Office with the US Congress, speaking:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2016/newsletters2016-1/HRWB2exhibition160211RipollAspeaking-c-5.jpg

2. The Second "Human Rights Without Borders" Exhibition and Prize Award Ceremony:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2016/newsletters2016-1/HRWB2exhibition160211inRayburn-c-5.jpg

3. The human rights activists (from left to right: Sarah Cook (Senior Research Analyst of the Freedom House); Matteo Mecacci (President of the International Campaign for Tibet); Wei Jingsheng; Leader Nancy Pelosi; Dr. Lobsang Sangay (Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile); Congressman James McGovern (chairman of Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission); Carl Gershman (President of the National Endowment for Democracy);

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2016/newsletters2016-1/HRWB2exhibition160211group-c-5.jpg

4. Wei Jingsheng speaking at the award ceremony:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/pic/newsletters/newsletters2016/newsletters2016-1/HRWB2exhibition160211WeiJSspeaking-c-5.jpg

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中文版

Wei Jingsheng Foundation News and Article Release Issue: A925-W605

魏京生基金会新闻与文章发布号：A925-W605

Release Date: March 6, 2016

发布日：2016年3月6日

Topic: Intervention at the Second "Human Rights Without Borders" Exhibition and Prize Award Ceremony at US Congress -- by Antoine Ripoll, Head of EPLO

标题：在第二届“人权无国界”展暨魏京生基金会“人权与自由捍卫者”颁奖典礼上的讲话（欧洲议会驻美国国会办公室负责人：安托恩·瑞珀利）

Original Language Version: English (Chinese version at the end)

此号以英文为准（英文在前，中文在后）

如有中文乱码问题，请与我们联系或访问:

http://www.weijingsheng.org/report/report2016/report2016-03/RipollAspeech160306atHRWB2exhibitionA925-W605.htm

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在第二届“人权无国界”展暨魏京生基金会“人权与自由捍卫者”颁奖典礼上的讲话

-- 欧洲议会驻美国国会办公室负责人：安托恩·瑞珀利(Antoine Ripoll)

2016年2月11日下午4时至6时

美国国会雷伯恩众议院办公大楼的大堂

亲爱的魏京生，

亲爱的美国国会议员们，

女士们，先生们，亲爱的朋友们，

今晚能在此欢迎您们大家，使我感到很荣幸和享受。

自从1996年他被授予萨哈罗夫奖以来，魏京生一直与欧洲议会密切合作。

魏先生，即使在您还在中国被监禁之前与监禁期间，许多美国国会议员也一直与您携手合作。

在欧洲议会，一年一度的萨哈罗夫奖的颁发始终是一个非常高调的事件。我们的机构认为它的一个特殊责任是无论如何都与所有的获奖者尽可能地合作。

在2008年萨哈罗夫奖颁发20周年时，萨哈罗夫奖网络成立了。当时魏先生作为创始成员，出席了在法国斯特拉斯堡召开的会议。

2005年的获奖者非政府组织"记者无国界"也参加了。我们很高兴再次在此事上与他们合作。

今晚我们还有来自自由之家、国家民主基金会和人权观察等有经验且著名的人权活动家们出席我们的活动。

谢谢大家帮助我们机构在欧洲和在美国的工作。

今晚将得到“人权与自由捍卫者”奖的鲍勃·伯恩斯坦，一直是这个领域真正的先驱。他曾与安德烈·萨哈罗夫和其他人合作，并确保他们的写作在世界各地广为发布。

今晚另一位获奖者是党领袖南希·佩洛西，她从来都毫不犹豫地使用她巨大的政治权力来推进中国的人权事业。

今晚我们的活动是在世界许多地方发生着反人权者们试图夺取政治上的主动权之时。

我知道有些在美国的人担心，担心欧盟将在乌克兰和叙利亚事件的压力下屈服。

我可以向你们保证的是，尽管有所有的挑战，欧洲人吸取了历史的教训，对人权的尊重是一个普遍和根本的目标。

今天的挑战只能更确认这个基本现实。

在欧洲和美国，我们都应该保持勇气坚守我们的信念。

像魏京生等人以及他们以非凡的勇气和毅力所进行的工作给予了我们所有人在这样一个艰难的时刻真正需要的灵感。

我要强调，欧洲议会无意攻击任何特定的国家，因为我们认为人权是普世的。

例如，最近的萨哈罗夫奖得主是在沙特阿拉伯被粗暴对待的巴达维（Raif Badawi）。

欧洲议会还同样强烈谴责侵犯人权的伊朗，并在2012年将奖项授予两名伊朗活动家。

在缅甸，我们1990年的得奖者昂山素季，在被软禁几十年后，于本周成为她理所应当的民选政治领袖。

欧洲议会和美国国会都曾主动地与她站在一起，并就她的情况能够分享真正的成就感。

在许多问题上，欧洲和美国的立法者们有不同的侧重点。

但在人权事业上，我们一直能尽可能地、充分地与许多美国国会两院的议员们和工作人员们联络着。

多年来，我们自己的人权小组委员会也与美国国会兰托斯委员会密切合作。我要借此机会指出并感谢下一位发言者，兰托斯委员会的主席：詹姆斯·麦戈文众议员（James McGovern）。

最后，我要感谢（黄）慈萍操作举办出这么一个非常特殊的活动。

驻华盛顿的欧洲议会办公室真是荣幸被邀请来协助承办这项活动。

感谢大家的关注。