of europe today, more than ever to put the power of those rights about the pow wow. off might. president putin wants to drag euro bag in a pause dominated by power politics. where states can trample on individual rides in the pursuit of imperial glory. where rulers dispose of their citizens like pawns and geopolitical chess games. that is why in the face of russia's war, neutrality was not an option. we had to make a choice between injustice and justice. freedom and oppression. between standing on the side of the aggressor and standing on the side of the victims, the teenagers in hawk, if and we did the council of europe, we all together adopted a clear united stance against russia swarm. we jointly voted to expel russia from

the council. and we made cleo that the column so stands was a brave woman and min and children of ukraine who are fighting for the country and their freedom, but old. so 40 mark the sea and human rights on the entire european continent. because the coincident is not a geographical concept because the counsel unites us in the concept of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. but we have also to critically assess why we did not fully recognize the early warning signals. this is why at the last meeting of the committee of ministers in korean in sama, i advocated for for summit, off the council of europe. that will now take place in right? you have it under the iceland, dick presidency. at this upcoming summit,

we will have an opportunity to set up the council for a new era in european history. we know that institutions are only as strong as a political and financial support they get. and that means we all to have to give the counsel the financial and other means it needs. as i said in the beginning, in this era marked by russia's war, we can no longer take the progress of liberty and human rights in europe for granted fundamental rights and freedoms are under pressure. on too many prawns. therefore, if we want to show that despite repression and war, the power of democracy and the soul of europe remain unbroken on our continent, then we have to stand up and fight for them. let us keep this in mind as we prepare

for the riker week summit building on all o, valuable ideas and suggestions. and they are many floating around. you took a decision just the these days. and i would like to focus on 3 crucial points for this summit. first, the summit should reaffirm our joint commitment to the core values of the council of europe. or let me put it in another way. if the council is to remain our common home, our common sold for your pin democracy and human rights, we have to fix the cracks in its walls, stop the erosion of its own nations, and make sure that all residents abide by the house rules. i'm aware of the fact that our 46 member countries have very different historic and cultural life. pause. i also know that no legal system and no democracy is

perfect. thanks god, because no human being is perfect because we are all different. but what we all wish for is to get better every day. because there is not such a single form or type of a perfect democracy. but what binds us all in the council is our commitment to the rule of law and to the division of power hour pledge to protect our people of fundamental rights and daily freedoms. and that is what we have signed up to. so let me say loud and clear. all member states have to respect the european convention on human rights and implement the court of human rights judgements based on it. and it varies me deeply that for years the turkish authorities have been ignoring the courts, demands to release osman kabbalah,

whose detention the court considers to be politically motivated. and yes, it was good that there has been finally been a visit. but this is nothing to applaud about, because osman cavallo shouldn't be in prison. it's simply unacceptable for member state of this column. so to imprison some one for political reasons. that is why the committee of ministers has initiated infringement proceedings against turk, co rapper, to this of the council have recently underlined this by the visit. and i'm really, it's raging our call for the turkish authorities to release osman caballo and also to release so loud in damage touch. and the as us, one of the court has also ruled to be an will awfully detained. we all

have we all is members of this council have to respect this basic rule book. that is a legal obligation and no wishlist. and that is what our citizens, except expect from us. this also applies obviously to every country in this room also to my own country. and that is why germany has been taking step to fully adopt the council of europe, legal instrument, protecting women and girls from violence. because if we call on others to rectify or to comply with convention, then obviously reservations from our self might be a bit bias. so therefore, when my government entered office, just over year ago, we said we would lift germany's reservation to the east and book convention. and

that is what we have done. we will apply the convention without restrictions. as of next month. i invite all member states that have signed the assembly convention to all to read to fi it very soon. and i think if a country in wall like ukraine could do it, than every other country in peace, can do it as well. this also continues our work as part of the you. it's the same time i am vishal for the right exam. it should not only be to reserve what the council of europe has the chief as crucial at that my b. together, we can not only your furbished our common european home of human rights and democracy, but also expanded was new rooms and more inhabitants. and that is my 2nd point. let us work together to adapt the council and our democracy to

a changing world. that means finally, making the european union's accession to the european convention on human ride, a reality. creating a common european human rights protection stand it. most importantly, however, the counsellor can help pave the way for a new generation of human rights. democracy and human rights are based on universal values. but they are also constant works in progress. because our societies evolve and new technologies, obviously a much take the digital revolution that is transforming how we all shop, middle or friends, and go on a date. it used to go on to date. how and tanya industries work or how was fine to predict storms and droughts?

the internet, social media and artificial intelligence have already made our lives so much better . but obviously they also bring new challenges and risk. we have seen that a i facial recognition can have racial bias that is used to target children with aggressive advertising. and that autocratic regime saw exploiting it to trick don dissidents. that is why democratic governments we have to work together to protect human rights in the digital work. we cannot simply leave this to algorithms to take talk or ellen mosque. this is a politico tossed. this is a democratic task. in the content of europe, we are working on a convention on the development design and application of a i a systems this convention can said to pen european standard for human

centric and human rights based a. are you making sure, for example, that companies and governments are not spying on people by wanting their social media post through a i analyzes together we can ensure that technology makes human rights stronger, not weaker because technologies are there for human and not for industry. all autocracy. that is why the german government is committed to working with you all to see this new convention adopted this you and finding me there's a 3rd point we should keep in mind. the outreach to that i would call neighbors and friends of the council of europe when i travel to another region to causes tom. last year i met again young women in mitch went used to work for an

n g o and planned to establish a political party. and all of a sudden she said, you are so lucky in europe, and i'm thinking okay, what comes now and then she said, you're so lucky, you have the council of europe. and for a moment i was stopping and thinking again was old prejudices. so is she talking about the you of the account? as i said, the council of europe. yes, the council of europe and said, why? because you have an ins from end to which your government has to relate. you have conventions where i as a n g o could say you are not applying to the simple convention or to the human rights convention because you have a court where every citizen can go to. and i think this is also crucial in these time. there's so many people, especially people around the world who are not arguing about democracy, human rights to be one geographical pattern,

but who are saying we would like to benefit from you or experience from your lessons from the past. and this morning, during my visit of the court of human ride, i was shown what this right means. the young lady cause a son was talking about, i entered this room, i've registered. and i mean, this is really interesting when you're talking about a i and i see saw this pious of post on the table and people going through all these papers and some we also get this as politicians in our office this way we think, okay, this is a bit crazy, but they are going through every letter letters written on paper, some tables in the infinite, but also still let us written on a tiny sheet of paper. because when you are in a prison and when you are political or prisoners, obviously you do not have the best access to this court to our court. so

that any individual can initiate a complain and b, it was a simple handwritten request scribbled on a post card or even on a piece of toilet paper sent from a prison. this is as simple as it is, what this soul of your sense also for in many places around the world, people do not have this privilege. and we should remind ourselves to this every day. and that is why it's on us to stand by their side as they around the words try for human life when they seek peace and a better future for them and their children. the work of the venice commission is a beautiful example of how the values of the council of europe can have an impact around the world. even though again, from the 1st hand, you would say the venice commission,

not having any real power. but the influence from the venice commission is maybe bigger than a big institution with a lot of money. because was it advise on how to reform electoral laws in constitution? the commission is a comp, as for democracy, guiding us and member states from no less than 5 continents, all around the world. ladies and gentlemen, we could go on and on and you know it better than me about the haydn, but so powerful tool of this council of europe. and it's up to us whether we use them or whether we lease them aside. it's our responsibility. we are the politicians of our times when human lives i endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. that is how

our leave is to put it, reminding us to be watchful whenever human rights are violated. to us in this plenary hold, these words might seem beautiful and inspirational. but to the boys and the girls in hearken to the 16 year old who came back from italy to her home to her destroyed home. because that is her european. so in this is their future, this is their trust. this is the destiny for their sake and the sake of so many others. these words must be a concrete call on us to stand up to what this council stands for, human rights and dignity of on. thank you

and we've just been listening to germany's foreign minister and alina bab, book speaking there at the council of europe, in the french city of strasburg. and we are going to cross now to d, w. i n e for him, who am has been standing by in stroudsburg listening to that speech. by on the lena bear book, the german foreign minister i, the foreign minister, invoked an awful lot of history. in her speech, she quoted the words of a holocaust survivor as a reason to stand up for human rights. but she also spoke movingly about her own experiences, visiting ukraine, speaking to young people there what stood out for you and in particular in her speech. i think it's, you know, it was her opinion that the council of europe as an institution and as an idea, i mean, she quoted cannot add,

no calling it the soul of europe as an anecdote to that kind of oppression. and as an institution that was, you know, founded as a response to these a historical atrocities and that it is now incumbent on this council took to, to uphold the values of a rules based order. in europe. she was sure to mentioned that europe is bigger than the e u. referring of course, to the europe at the council of europe being much more inclusive, including $46.00 member states that goes well beyond the $27.00 members of the european union. she mentioned just how important mechanisms of the council of europe are, like the european court of human rights towards the end of her speech. saying how, you know, as she was travelling, a woman told her just how lucky europeans are to have the european court of human rights. because people can bring their grievances to the court regardless of what they are. they could even political prisoners could do that. and so, you know,

really her emphasis on the importance of the council of europe. she's also sure to mentioned that financial support to the council is important for to continue its important work here in europe. and in her opinion with, it was also something that she was sure to mention. i a, he also focused an awful lot on women's rights. and you know, she called women's rights a yardstick for odd to not christine. she criticized russia out rice in particular, or ignoring women's rights. we have hair, a female foreign minister, speaking about the rights of, of women, young meaning young women did that make on elena babylon was particularly powerful today. i mean, this is of, you know, the idea that women's rights are fundamental to it. foreign policy is something that foreign minister burbock is known for. it's something that she has mentioned a number of times during her tenure. and basically what she's saying is let look

around, look at countries and when they start oppressing women, that is assigned for you, that they are on an undemocratic pat. and so what she mentioned is the deteriorating status of women in russia as a sort of harbinger of worse things a to come. but she, she also said that, you know, within the counsel, russia has given, you know, this particular this community many reasons in the past to see that it was going down an undemocratic and authoritarian pat. she mentioned the different warning signs from baltic states, for example, she also mentioned, you know, the show trials of a political prisoner, alex, in of, on the, and, you know, let's not remember, let's not forget that it was the council of europe that also, you know, had expelled, had it sorry, had suspended russia's voting rights in 2014, following the annexation of crimea only than to have these rights reinstated in

2019, with the help of, with the support of germany, germany was in favor of russia, rejoining the regaining its voting rights in 2019 and so she was also very, very critical of her own country, germany and perhaps its complacency towards russia over the past years. and, you know, her emphasis was yes, women's rights are an important indication, an important warning sign for us. but also the work of the council in general in particular, in particular, when it comes to russia, t w, special correspondent abraham in strasburg. thanks so much for that. and i'm joined by thomas sparrow, d. w political correspondent here in the studio. also listening to that speech by germany's foreign minister and alina burbock, thomas, your 1st impressions of what we've just heard. with all the discussion on tanks and

weapons of the day to day problems in ukraine, you sometimes may be easy to, to forget the larger picture here. what's really at stake these attacks on human rights, the challenges on democracy. the fact that these challenges will outlast what happens ultimately on the, on the battlefield. and i think in alina burbock, speech day in the council of europe, was precisely trying to strengthen that idea that human rights, that the fight for democracy at the fight for those common values remain something particularly important for europe, for the you. but for the council of europe as a wider institution that has 46 members, i think there was particularly crucial from what an in about book stress. she called it the common home for democracy and human rights. she strengthened and spoke about different mechanisms, different institutions that play a role in defending those human rights. and i think that was maybe the main reason why in a babel gave that speech was maybe to, to show that relevance when it comes to fighting for,

for those common goals and those common values. that was one element of the speech . the 2nd element, which i already focused on as well, is the fact that sometimes in the day to day basis in the day to day political discussions, the early warning signals were actually not addressed, which then had an impact on that fight for democracy and human rights so 2 areas which i think were important, one, strengthening that importance of human rights of democracy, of common values. the other one also really acknowledging that sometimes that is difficult to put in practice. that is difficult to move from theory for the actual practical elements of that. and she was actually very vocal in her criticism, specifically of germany, but also of other nations for ignoring signs of russian aggression and not taking action. i mean, what did you make of this really, very direct criticism. i thought it was also significant because she stressed the importance, the historical importers of the council of europe, precisely in that area of trying to identify early warning signals when it comes to

the defense of human rights. all these common values that we've been discussing, and she then went on to say that in this particular case of russia's, warren, ukraine, some of those early warning signals were not fully considered that they were not paid enough attention. i already mentioned a couple of them. the trials against alexi navarre, the warning signals that were coming from the baltic states, and it's in that point where she also stressed that her own country. however, the previous government was not particularly interested in fulfilling that, to the whole extent, are really recognizing the extent of those warning signals. i understand that as also being a warning for the future, it was clear that she was talking about making this institution fit for the future . and quoting here from the state one that was released previous to elena babbled speech by the german foreign ministry. and when we talk about how to make it fit for the future, it's also about really understanding those early warning systems. those early warning signals. and why if those early warning system signals are disregarded,

that will then have a direct effect on the battle for human rights on the issue of peace and democracy in europe, but also in the wider or democratic world. she did focus on the future, didn't she? when i found it interesting that she was talking about how many young people to day take human rights for granted, she mentioned herself, she is 42 years old. she's grown up in a world where human rights are just part of every day. life that she made a real point of saying, you know, there are and financial means and other means needed for ensuring that the council of europe can continue its work. and as you were saying, can keep this reality of human rights protecting human rights in the future going and one element which that can happen by the way. so i mean that she also stressed is by increasing financial support. something that she said her government has been doing, but it's not only about increasing financial support is also by increasing political support for such institutions. and that's why she also mentioned in her speech the

upcoming summit, which will be attended by heads of state and government by that a members of this organization where they will precisely be discussing how to make this institution and for the elements within this institution fit for the future, so it's fine until elements on the, on the one hand, but it's also about political support. by the way, political support is something that you can't take always for granted. we're talking here of on an organization with 46 member states with very different political realities, with different systems, with different institutions. they're all united as an airbag stressed by the interest in protecting human rights and democracy in these common values. but that's one thing in theory, and sometimes a very different one, if you put it in practice that something else that i sort of felt and in a babble mentioned in her, in a speech right at the end. in fact, when she was talking about, for example, the case of, of touch, okay, t w player, cookers fun at thomas fair. i thank you so much for that analysis.

and we're going to take a look now at some of the other stories making headlines around the world. today. a judge in lebanon investigating the 2020 port explosion has charged several senior personalities, including the former prime minister in connection with the incident. political prussia has delayed the probe for more than a year. a powerful blast kill 220 people. after a warehouse with tons of poorly stored ammonium nitrate, court fire. power is being restored in pakistan after millions of people were left in. the dark authorities blamed the major power caught on a voltage surge after generators were temporarily switched off to save energy. it's the 2nd grid failure. in 3 months. at least 7 people are dead after a shooting and half moon bay in the us state of california,

a gunman opened fire at a mushroom farm and then at a nearby trucking business, police have detained a 67 year old suspect. his comes just 2 days after another shooter killed 11 people in monterey park, california. and that's all we have time fall kickoff has your bundle, fagan news up next. thank you so much for what you need help with start asking themselves to lead or not to leave the u. k. that is like bread. the question of independence is dividing the country. ah, the economic crisis is hitting many hard and those affected hold the government in

london responsible. we take a look at the scottish question. truth in a 30 minute. d, w. o. you become a criminal. pre climb ai already knows with hackers, paralyzing the tire societies. computers that out some are you and governments that go crazy for your data. we explain how these technologies work, how they can go in for a degree, but how they can also go terribly. watch it now on youtube.

india. ah, a lot of contrasts. of ambitions. 075 years ago. my god can fully live the country to independence provide you with what is the remaining of his vision with what's the status of human rights and social justice in what's called the world's largest democracy with this is the moment to unleash on violet boss and re imagined these teachings or elements to us. ah,

gandhi's legacy starts january 28th on b, w. ah ah, this is d, w. news live from berlin, germany inches closer to green lighting, the use of german made tanks in ukraine, defense minister bars. the story says allies can start training ukrainians to use their dogs of leopard tanks, but a decision on whether berlin will supply tanks to keep it still is still being weighed by the chunks.