The François Mitterrand Institute rewards Selahattin Demirtaş, the Kurdish MP and political prisoner

The François Mitterrand Prize of 10 May: the François Mitterrand Institute rewards the Kurdish deputy of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtaş. To distinguish a personality or an organization, French or foreign, having known how to incarnate, express or concretize peacefully, by his actions, his work or his thought, the hope and the gathering of the "forces of youth, work and creation" , to which François Mitterrand referred in his declaration of May 10, 1981.

This is the ambition of the François Mitterrand Prize of 10 May, created by the François Mitterrand Institute on the occasion of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the election of the fourth President of the Fifth Republic.

The jury, made up of various members of the Foundation's Board of Directors and external figures, met in the spring of 2021 to examine around 20 cases. It was finally the candidacy of Selahattin Demirtaş, deputy of the HDP, the People's Democratic Party, imprisoned in his country, Turkey, for "terrorist propaganda" since 2016, which was distinguished by the 14 members of the jury.

By awarding its Prize to this representative of the young Istanbul political class open to the world and to the left, the François Mitterrand Institute intends to salute the struggle of an exemplary personality who tirelessly seeks, at the cost of his freedom today, to peacefully bring together all progressive forces practically defending democracy and minority rights, in Turkey as elsewhere in the world.

It was its representative, Hişyar Özsoy, deputy of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, who received the award on Tuesday January 11, 2022 at 6 p.m. at the Foundation's headquarters, in the presence of Hubert Védrine, its President.

The jury, chaired by Louis Mermaz, former minister, President of the National Assembly (1981-1986), was made up of Laure Adler, essayist, journalist, radio and television producer, Marie Arena, MEP, president of the sub - European Parliament Human Rights Commission, Eric Benzekri, screenwriter, Gilles Candar, historian, Pierre Favier, journalist, member of the IFM Board of Directors, Aurélie Filippetti, former minister, Jean Glavany, former minister, Pierre Joxe, former minister, Zarina Khan, philosopher, actress, director, Laurence Lissac, member of the IFM Board of Directors, Gilbert Mitterrand, member of the IFM Board of Directors, Mazarine Pingeot, member of the Board of administration of the IFM and Thomas Wieder, journalist.