Frode Jakobsen was a Danish member of the resistance movement and founder of the first Danish Movement of Resistance against the German occupation of Denmark during the second World War.

Frode Jakobsen was in favour of a European Community but in connection with the referendum on Danish membership in 1972 he realised that the EC was not a democratic project. He therefore recommended a No to the EC og supported hereafter the euro-sceptical "Peoples Movement against the EC" and since 1992 the June Movement.

The June Movement constituted the Frode Jakobsen Award before his death in 1996 to commemorate his courageous life and donate it to a person who has shown extraordinary personal courage.

Yavuz Önen is a on obvious award winner. He has been in head of the Turkish Human Rights Organisation  - HRFT - an organisation that has struggled for the human rights in Turkey. The Turkish Human Rights Organisation is part of the international organisation IRCT working with for the rehabilitation of victims of torture.

Turkey has carried out reforms in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria for respecting the human rights. Still the advocates of human rights are under a huge pressure in Turkey. The Turkish human rights organisation is threatened by closure as a consequence of several lawsuits against committee members including Yavuz Önen.

This could have very important consequences for the treatment of the victims of torture in Turkey since no other Turkish organisation can follow in the footsteps of HRFT. At the same time the many victims of torture are left behind - the torture is still taking place in the Turkish prisons and policestations.

At the same time there are still a lot of political prisoners in Turkey among others Leyla Zane who has received the Zacharov Prize of the European Parliament.

When the June Movement gives you this Award it is an expression of our wish to use our influence to support the fight for human rights in Turkey. In the European Parliament the June Movement today uses its mandates to support the fight for human rights. Your fight in Turkey is very important to us. We wish to support the Turkish government in achieving the human rights and the sacrifices that this will bring.

At the same time our annual party conference can serve as a window for you and the Turkish Human Rights Organisation to pass on your message to the Danish population.

Therefore it is a pleasure that you, Yavuz Önen, can be present today at our annual party conference and receive the Frode Jakobsen Award.

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The sculpture is made in glass by the artist Torben Jørgensen.