Plenary speech in the debate on the case of Zarema Musaeva in Chechnya
Mr President, the most extraordinary thing is that in Chechnya, in this land of absolute tyranny, of torture and of political assassination, there are still people as courageous as Ms Musayeva to stand up to Ramzan Kadyrov, the man-eater whom Putin has made his watchdog.
No, she is not alone. There are also her three sons, her husband, a former Supreme Court judge, and so many others, ready to give their lives to defend the principles of the rule of law. With this resolution, this Parliament bows not only to you, Madam, but also to the 1,500 or so citizens of the Russian Federation, the heroes whom the despot of the Kremlin has had thrown into prison since the start of his war.
Yes, Madam, through you, it is to all these brave men, women and young people that we pay tribute today. Knowing that through a graffiti painted at night, a postcard sent to prisoners, a T-shirt in Ukrainian colours or the pain of exile, well over a million Russians, the vanguard of this country, have already said no to you, and to your aggression, Mr Putin.
