Thank you very much everyone for coming here
today for this very exciting and special talk
from the Oxford Guild, our Collegium
Global Network and the PPE Society. It is
our immense pleasure to welcome Tawakkol Karman
here today; who has flown in late last night
specially just to speak to you all. Mrs Karman
is a Yemeni human rights activist, politician,
and journalist who was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize in 2011. She has been dubbed the lady
of the Arab Spring and was named one of 
the most rebellious woman in history by TIME
Magazine and has won numerous other accolades.
Today she will be sharing with us her insights
and experiences and talking about the issue
of Terrorism, the problems and solutions,
and where we are in 2018 moving forwards.
I hope you will all join me in giving her
a very warm welcome and As-salamu alaykum
to Tawakkol Karman! Thank you
I lost my voice, but I will try my best. Can
you hear me? Yes
As-salamu alaykum, peace be on all of you,
it is an honour to be here with my sisters,
with my brothers in Oxford. This is my second
time in this city here in Oxford. Thank you so much for
inviting me here. Thank you so much for attending this lecture.
Dear sisters and brothers, almost everyone
condemns terrorism, including President Trump,
who usually preaches of our need to defeat
terror in his tweets. You, and I too, believe
we need to combat terrorism and eliminate
this ugly violence, eliminate this face of
violence. But, I believe the reasons why Trump wants to defeat terror are very different
than ours. If we truly think about his, ours
and others’ comments and what they mean,
we discover that each person or group, has their own terror that they are fighting.
I believe we need to courageously and accurately
identify what terrorism is in our world today.
The problem is that we underestimate terrorism and deal with it in a narrow framework. Hence,
many definitions of terrorism have appeared,
ranging from the funny to the downright terrifying.
I can provide you with dozens of examples of terror charges applied in ironic and horrifying ways
I can even give names of sportsmen,
journalists, politicians, human rights activists,
and social media activists who have been charged
as terrorists and been detained, simply because
they refuse to support a President or a King. I wonder do tyrannical regimes fight against terrorism seriously?
Do we say that seriously? Do we take Assad’s tyrannical regime’s fight against terrorism seriously?
How can we believe in a fight against terrorism waged by those who exert all forms of violence against their
own citizens, fearing no accountability or punishment. I’m not here to develop a comprehensive definition.
And, although important, I am more concerned with encouraging you, all of you,
all those concerned about our world, to develop clear and specific criteria to deter anyone from abusing
terrorism in a way that jeopardises justice, conscience and reason. So, what is terrorist? What is terrorism?
Is it inflicting harm on people and terrorising them in order to achieve political, religious, social,
or cultural gains? Is it the intentional killing of rivals? Or carrying out of explosions and assassinations?
Is it threatening individuals and communities, or imposing certain faith by means of force and violence?
The UK defines terrorism as "the use, threatened use of excessive violence against any other individual
or property in order to advance a political, religious or ideological orientation" while on the other hand,
the United States defines terrorism as "the unlawful use, threatened use, of force or violence to intimidate
or coerce governments and communities." The Convention of the Organisation of the Islamic
Conference on Combatting International Terrorism, adopted by the foreign ministers in 1999, defines
terrorism as "any act of violence or threat thereof notwithstanding its motives or intentions perpetrated
to carry out an individual or collective criminal plan with the aim of terrorising people or threatening
to harm them or imperilling their lives, honour, freedoms, security or rights or exposing the environment
or any facility or public or private property to hazards or occupying or seizing them".
So rest assured, there are hundreds of different definitions to the crime of terrorism.
In fact, terrorism is all that and even more.
Yet the problem, the problem lies with states and governments who manipulate terrorism according
to their own agenda and interests, causing immense, immense devastation that nobody should tolerate.
After September 2001, the world, led by the US and the UK, spoke of the need to address the root causes of
terrorism, not only the security and military aspects. But alas, national security and military strength now
is all we think, is all that the world thinks when they think or discuss about terrorism.
The International Community actions followed; extrajudicial killing operations, the two destructive wars
in Afghanistan and Iraq, the demobilization of army in Iraq, the absence in Syria, the subsequent collapse
of states. Finally, sectarian rule and power vacuums, resulting in the emergence of the second phase
of terrorism which is ISIS or Daesh. So, dear sisters and brothers. You should know the story of our region.
Especially the story of the Arab Spring countries that now are accused of feeding terrorists and terrorism.
But the story not often told, and one you need to hear, is how out of all this also emerged our
Arab Spring – an unfinished revolution dear to my heart. During the second half of the twentieth century, the
leaders of our countries, after independence promised their peoples with development, democracy,
and stability. Fifty years later we have no democracy, nor development.
We learned that development cannot [be] achieved with tyranny. Defeating dictatorships and spreading
democracy were reasons present in all discourses that explored why we, as [a] global community,
needed to combat terrorism following the September 11 2001 incidents. But after 17 years of the "war on terror",
we have everything but democracy, development, and peace. Despotic regimes have monopolised power,
force, money, and trade; controlled actions and reactions, leaving our societies fragmenting
under false stability. By claiming to fight extremist and terrorist groups, authoritarian regimes exploited
"war on terror" – the banner of “war on terror.” Authoritarian regimes exploited the banner of
"war on terror” for their own benefits. The dictators have used people's misunderstanding of religion as weapons
against demands for democracy and human rights. Apparently, the "war on terror" was just an excuse for
killing people in their homes and the destabilization of an entire continent. Most ironically, these dictators
asserted that without their violence, the only alternative would be terrorism.
But the real alternative they could not foresee was our Arab Spring. Fed up with the regimes of tyranny, failure,
nepotism and corruption, the youth erupted into peaceful revolution. This expression turned into
a great dream of freedom, democracy, rule of law, and a decent life; and into courage, moral commitment, and
a willingness to sacrifice. Millions, millions of people protested peacefully across the Arab Spring countries.
Facing oppression and bullets, we held roses in our bare hands. Regardless of the state's violence,
there was no counter-violence. We gathered at squares demanding change and freedom. The streets became
our home. Nonviolence was our strategy. We chanted سلميه سلميه (Semiah, Semiah) peaceful, peaceful.
The youth of the Arab spring succeeded peacefully in the first step of the peaceful revolution and brought
down the heads of corrupt, tyrannical, and mismanaged governments in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, and we can say
that Libya as well. People, without their beginning with their peaceful revolution we wouldn’t have been
able to topple the regime of Gaddafi. And, InshaAllah (God willing), very soon with Syria.
But with those four countries, four countries, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, people there
they started moving confidently towards the establishment of a state of justice, democracy, and
rule of law. But unfortunately…unfortunately, an ugly
counter revolution confronts them,
a counter revolution led by the collapsed regimes and backed by their regional and international allies. It is a
counter revolution with many faces: military coups, sectarian militia, occupations, terrorist groups, and war.
Today, for wanting peace, we are asked to make a false choice between dictatorship and terrorism!
The choice is presented by the dictatorships and the international powers that back them, under the ruse of
"war on terror". Under the banner of "war on terror" they seek to revive or recreate the collapsed dictatorships
through fuelling their own forms of state terror. In Syria, we all know…we all know very well that when their
revolution erupted in 2011, Al-Assad’s regime called sectarian militias; Hezbollah in Lebanon, AL-Nugaba,
Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq in Iraq, Iran with its revolutionary guard, and Putin's Russia to fight the survival battle with him,
bombing the cities, Cities, cities, such as Mosul, Riqa, and Aleppo are crushed.
Tens of thousands disappeared, five hundred thousand are killed, millions are displaced in a sectarian
reengineering of the Arab demography – all under the pretext of the "war on terror."
Imagine! What a world is this, where Syrian children and civilians are killed by explosive barrels and
chemical weapons - all this again under the pretext of the "War on Terror"!
We cannot speak of fighting terrorism in 2018 without addressing this type of state terror.
Indeed, do we plan to fight terrorism with the same media propaganda of dictators like Abdelfattah Al-Sisi
in Egypt? Sisi's coup detained sixty thousand in prisons including an elected president after the fairest
and free[est] elections in the country's history. Since then, the world witnessed Sisi's farcical elections, where
he imprisoned all potential competitors. He claims that what he is doing is a "war on terror".
It will be difficult to combat terrorism at the international level, without clear distinction between the genuine fight
against terrorism and its manipulation for political and military purposes.
For too long, the aim of fighting terrorism has been used to justify despotic regimes and superpowers who attack
their adversaries, popular revolutions, and their communities whenever they sense a risk that threatens
their control. But [in] doing so, they have created all the conducive conditions for extremist organisations that
threaten our communities to flourish. This is not the past. This is happening also now, right now, as we speak,
in my country of Yemen. In Yemen, the manipulation of terrorism is even more flagrant and vulgar.
The state terror also is there. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading a war in Yemen, and are bombing everything;
not only militia of Al-Houthi that is backed by Iran that trouble my country, not only the rebels but schools,
hospitals, weddings and more.Read the UNSC Panel of Experts report to see how they are tampering the fate
and future of Yemen. They blockade my country under the pretext that they are liberating it from
Iran-backed Houthi militia. Three years of war, terrorising civilians, non-payment of salaries, outbreaks, famine,
and poverty, the legitimate government
could not return to Aden and other affected provinces.
Our President is still under house arrest in Riyadh. Meanwhile, the UAE seizes islands, ports, beaches,
airports, and supports extremist militia against the legitimate government.
The Saudi and UAE is active in attacking human rights in my country. The UAE is active in building secret prisons,
torturing detainees and abusing Yemenis as they shamelessly lie about their involvement in my country's
suffering. Iran is backing racist militia, which is Houthi, and Saudi and UAE is backing an extremist militia.
Here again I would emphasise this point, Yemen is facing terrorism of two states of UAE and Saudi Arabia,
directly by killing of thousands of civilians and indirectly by supporting and financing the armed terrorist groups.
You should know that the countries involved in supporting those two countries with weapons, including
the UK, are supporting, nourishing and strengthening terror. From here, from Oxford,  I call upon the UK
to cease supporting the despotic regimes. I call the UK to specifically stop arms deals to the Saudi Arabia and
the UAE. Otherwise the UK will also committing a crime against Yemeni people. I also call the UK to exert all
pressures against Iran to stop smuggling weapons to the Houthis militia. Dear sisters and brothers, we were a
peaceful revolutionary spring but before we could develop, their interim despotisms were autumn leaves
that fell in the form of bombs and explosive barrels raining on our cities. Now, unfortunately, we are a
we are a violent winter, in which transnational terrorist groups serve as despots, and regional and international
intelligence agencies occupy the power vacuum they created. But, never let them tell you that our fight is over.
We are still in the revolution. We are facing the same thing the West faced when they fought their revolutions. 
When they start their dream and great sacrifice for achieving their freedom, democracy, and prosperity.
They imagine - the dictators and the regional powers and international powers that back them - they imagine
that they have succeeded in stopping the wheel of history. They think  that the scene of destruction will
prevail for a long time. But, they are unaware of the power of truth and the steadfastness of the people 
who decided that when they started, that they will inevitably win in the end. Dear sisters and brothers,
the world has contributed to bringing terror and sectarian militia to the forefront of politics in collapsed
states. I am here to bring you some truth and I am not afraid of anyone. So, here I am telling you who is behind
the terrorism and who is behind the terrorists. Again, first I talk about the dictators and their role in supporting
terrorism and their role in using the 'war on terror" against the will of people for freedom, democracy,
and peace. Now, we will talk about the role of the international community.
The international community has contributed to the bringing terror and sectarian militia to the forefront of 
politics in collapsed states. In every religion, as you all know, there are extremists, in every country there are
are extremists, but only with Islamic countries do they make extremists the only focus. They didn't listen to the 
moderate groups that asked for reforms in the understanding of religion. They deal with Islamic political 
parties and movements that adopted peaceful political activity under the rule of law and who abandoned
violence, they've dealt with them as terrorist movements to penalise them for participating in the Arab Spring 
and the democratic process. While on the other hand they have opened directly or indirectly the door to
terrorist organisations, like Jabhat Al-Nusrah, like ISIS, and other terrorist groups. They wanted to curtail the
chants for freedom of Arabs shown during the peaceful protest and nullify our calls for change and for human
values. The superpowers in the democratic West and Russia and others wanted to portray Arabs as illustrated
by the colonial powers, in their image and not as it is in reality. They believe that our Arab people don’t deserve
freedom, and that we are not ready for democracy whilst the reality is something else. The reality is our image,
that we achieved in the Arab Spring 2011, where hundreds of thousands of people, of aspiring faces,
hoped for progress, freedom, dignity, justice, and rule of law. The reality is our achievement when we made our
our transitional period with tolerance, with human rights, when we wrote our draft constitution that guaranteed
democracy and rule of law and freedom and the rest that we called for. Yes, there was a lot of mistakes, 
but it was just political mistakes. We were just at the first steps towards democracy, after decades of injustice, 
after decades of tyranny, after decades of failure and mismanagement. So, you should know as you are
students, you are people who came here to listen, what is the reality of terrorism. You should know about these
points when you talk or hear about terrorism. But, our countries are being destroyed by the struggle of the
superpowers through their regional proxies of sectarian and extremist militia and regimes who lost their powers
and balance before people’s revolutions. Without acknowledging this fact, the war on terror will be
incomplete and misleading. International indifference to our issues, revolutions, aspirations, and problems with
the despotisms, poverty, unemployment, and lack of democracy creates a sustainable environment for
terrorism. One day the wagers of this global war will admit that the security and military measures employed
 in combating terrorism are wrong. One day they will admit how such an approach used terrorism as a tool to
reintroduce tyrannies, injustice and suppression of peoples. One day they will admit that their they benefit 
from religious extremism and terrorism by excusing wars that serve their interests and enable them to take
control of the wealth and take control of our countries. So, sisters and brothers, extremism and religious
intolerance are among the direct causes of terrorism. Their adherents do not only target people of different
backgrounds, they also target their people of their own religion. A fanatic Muslim is ready to attack othe
Muslims, and fanatic Christian is willing to attack another Christian, the same thing with the fanatic 
Jewish and so on. Fanatics of all religions are willing to attack peoples of the same creed, more than others of
different ones. So too, fanatics assist each other, regardless of their religion, nationality,
or political affiliation. Extremist culture could have been defeated. Extremist culture could have been defeated by
education, development, and modernisation of communities with democratisation, transformation and
openness towards other cultures. But, unfortunately, none of this happened. There is none of this from the
dictators or the international community. The opposite happened. The dictators have big benefits from
extremism and terrorism. Actually extremism is one of the most important tools of the tyranny for maintaining
power, oppressing rights, and attacking freedoms. You should know that dictatorship and terrorism are two
faces of one coin. Both of them feed each other and both of them protect each other. 
On the other hand, in the seventies, international interests supported extremists, the worst part of
Islamic culture, and religious heritage, including extremism and isolation. They provided all means of
support to maximize such culture and transform it from a tiny isolated culture into one that terrorizes Arab,
Muslims, and world communities. Those who once fostered terrorism published its literature in millions of
books, received and funded extremist groups and dispatched them to preach at the
madrassas (religious schools) in different parts of the world;  it was they who were accepted into open arms by
your leaders and businessmen. I mean here the Saudi-funded spread of Wahabisim that began as a result of 
Western countries asking Riyadh to help counter the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This is what the
Crown Prince of Saudi [Arabia] Mohammad bin Salman told the Washington Post in his last interview there.
Speaking to the Washington Post, bin Salman said that Saudi Arabia's Western allies urged the country to invest
in madrassas overseas during the Cold War, in an effort to prevent encroachment in Muslim countries by
the Soviet Union. And, they’re asking us now, from where the thought of extremism came?
Now Mohammad bin Salman said he wishes to change. But, what kind of change do we see? Change by alliance
with Mohammed Bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of the UAE leading the counter revolution in Arab Spring countries,
waging war against people who dream for freedom and democracy? Waging war against those people who want
to make religious reforms in order to reach a state of peace? Change by combating the transformation
chances created by the peaceful revolutions? Change of killing Yemenis by occupying our country?
Change by supporting directly, supporting directly, terrorists in my country? The US announced in 2017, 
announced the name of one of the terrorists, a man whose name is Abu al-Abbas. Saudi and the Emirates
until now, until now, gave to them the money, all the kinds of support, just to be against our legitimate 
authority and to be against our love for democracy and freedom. And there is a lot of people that care.
So, dear sisters and brothers, when I think of "terrorism" and I reflect on the global "war on terror", is how such
word is interrelated to ongoing conflicts and wars in Arab countries. We, Arabs and Muslims, are suffering 
twice from terror; we suffer from terror, and we suffer from the manipulation of terror by the superpowers and
tyrannies. I see no point in this worldwide talk about combating terrorism, unless we stop confusing wars
against the dream of freedom and justice and hope with a legitimate fight against terrorism. Listen, what we need
to see as respite is a genuine combat against terrorism, and this will not be attained if the world continues to use
the title to justify other objectives that in fact promote terrorism, not fight it. Combating terrorism requires
ending the international order's abuse of this war. No longer should they reproduce their control or defend
enormous, unethical and immoral interests. As it stands now, the “war on terror” is stained with the blood of many 
innocents, the blood of the courageous, the blood of people who died in the hope of building a better future.
We must say it loud and clear as an international community that believes in democracy: tyrannical wars 
don't combat terrorism, rather, they allow it to flourish. We must lift the cover of state terror and modern era
assassins. We must call the tyrannies, we must call Assad and his tyranny, for example both a dictator and
a terrorist. Terrorism cannot be fought by killing peoples. Rather it can only be fought by reviving them and
supporting their emancipation from dictatorships’ chains, in whose darkness death, extremism, and hatred
reside. If the world is serious about waging “war on terror”, on combatting terrorism, it needs to do so
through supporting democracy, supporting the religious reforms we called for; freedom of expression, 
democracy and the rule of law. It needs to support the education of our girls and boys, the cessation of poverty,
and the acceleration of development. Most importantly, again, the world needs to stop funding despotic wars 
and enabling the killing of our people. Despots not only use extremism for their own benefit but pretend to fight 
extremism as a way of receiving international support.Terrorism is as an equally detested and ugly
issue as despotism. What continues to happen to Rohingya Muslims, to Syrians, to Iraqis, to Afghans,
to Pakistanis, to Palestinians, and to the people of my country, Yemen, is nothing but an outcome of their
marriage. Why does the international community put us before a bad and worse choice; between despotism and
and terrorism?! Can we fight both terrorism and tyranny? Of course, we can, and we must, and we will.
Peace does not only mean to stop wars, but also to stop oppression and injustice. We will not allow terrorism to
be the scapegoat of despotism. We will not allow that. We will not allow terrorism to be the scapegoat for
despotism. Each fair, effective war against terrorism is a war against dictatorship. Each struggle against
dictatorship is a struggle against terrorism. Terrorism and despotism are on one side. Remember,
terrorism and despotism are on one side. You and I, on the side of humanity, freedom and peace. I assure you
that all, all despots, we will win this battle. We won't give up. We will not let the dictators, the counter-revolutions, 
the terrorist groups to defeat us. Our will to live in freedom, dignity, and pride is greater than those who
seek to oppress us. Our destiny is with freedom, democracy, and rule of law. This is our promise to all the 
people around the world from day one. And our promise to our people. Thank you so much.
So we have time for just a few questions so if you have one just put up your hands.
Hi As-salamu alaykum Mrs Tawakkol. Thank you for your talk. I just have two questions for you. I think the first
thing you talked about is trying to link how the dictatorship actually creates terrorism. But, if we see a
recent study from 2016 found that a lot of terrorists, like Daesh for example, a lot of them are international actors,
international citizens who are not from countries who that actually had their Arab Springs. Of all the countries
that had their Arab Springs the majority of them were from Tunisia and the rest of them are from Russia, 
Turkey, Jordan. So, what have you got to say about that? Secondly, you talked about how the moderate forces
of Islam, especially institutions like Al-Azhar, for example. During the Arab Spring they were
conspicuously silent and even the Grand Mufti, was also kind of 50:50 behind Mubarak as well. So, even moderate 
voices in that sense were supporting the counter revolution that happened against Morsi. So, what have 
you got to say about that? Thank you.
I said that in my speech that unfortunately religions are being used by those dictators and unfortunately the 
dictators use the religious people to attack the human rights and human beings. And that is exactly what
happened in Arab Spring countries and in Tunisia as an example and in Egypt with some fatwas for example,
who said that killing people in the squares and in the streets is something legal. In Yemen, for example we
have a lot of fatwas that supported the dictator, Ali Abdullah Saleh, encouraging the Yemeni people to don’t
go against him. They say it is in religion you, as people, should obey to him. This is the religion they say.
You as women should stay at the house, don’t go to the street and don’t go with men - it’s haram, it’s forbidden.
So, there are many many examples of fatwas they then used by the dictators against human rights. So, because
of that, I say that is one of the things that creates terrorism. This is one of the things that extremism is
something benefitting the dictators. And because of that, you see, the dictators don’t support
any kind of religious reforms.
Hello…where is Malala?…Malala! Oh, my goodness! I’m so happy.
I’m so happy. I’m so happy to see you again my sister Malala. Oh my God she’s really…she’s really a good
model of those people, of this courageous woman who fight, and struggled for justice. Who fight terrorism 
and extremism. You won Malala. And our people will win like you. I’m so proud of you my sister. I’m so proud of
you, you can’t imagine. You are a big role model for those women, for those men, for those kids, for those
adults that really want peace. Thank you so much. And thank you all, all of you. 
I’m so happy to be in this hall of Oxford today. Yes 
Could you talk a little bit about girls’ education and what we here perhaps in a Western country could do perhaps 
with the use of internet for girls in countries that might not have access to good education. If you have got any 
words please?
I believe that girls' education is very important to empower the society first and also to empower all of the
world. Without education itself, we will not reach to the real democracy, we will not reach to the real system of
development. And without girl’s education if we didn’t empower women and girls that means we marginalise
more than half of the population - that means that we open the gate for the extremist thought. That means
that we open the gate for injustice, for corruption.
So I believe that freedom in general, that democracy in general starts with education and starts with the girl's
education. But also, I want to say something, especially of my country, and all those countries who suffer from
dictatorship. Because of the tyranny there is no good education. Because of the tyranny they prevent girls and
women to have a good opportunity in public life and in education. They are really afraid of the role of women,
really afraid. Because they know if women have a good education they will not let the tyranny to stay in their
home. So yes, we should empower education, we should encourage girls to have a good education, and also we
should encourage women in those countries that suffer from injustice to have a very loud voice against
dictators, against corruption. That is a very important role. You don’t know how the tyrannies benefit from the
ignorance of all the people and the ignorance of the girls and women.
Yes. Zuhair Mohammed from the Strategic Studies Group. Thank you Tawakkol for this inspiring lecture and
we as the country of Yemen are proud of you. We can’t leave this place without ignoring the perils of the Houthi
militias and Iranian militias. Me as the President of the Yemen Taiz Society in Europe, I can’t ignore the Iranian
regime which supports the Houthi militias. Our city Taiz is under siege now for more than three years. Houthi
militias, besiege Taiz. They prevent water and medicine and food in Taiz. More than that they the urinate into
drinking water to Taiz. And now I can’t see that Saudi Arabia has had any hand in this in Taiz.
Taiz as a Yemeni city is far a way, more than 1000 kilometres from the Yemeni and Saudi border. The only
people to accuse for this siege of Taiz is the Houthi and with Iranian support. We don’t say that the Arab
revolution has not made mistakes, it made big mistakes. But how can I say, what is the reason, Tawakkol Karman,
for the Houthi militias to besiege Taiz for a long time and what is the what we can do to end this siege in Taiz?
And just before this question, ok, what if the Arab revolution didn’t intervene into Yemen? For me, if the
Saudi Arabians didn’t take action, then now Yemen would be under control of the Iranian regime. It is true
that the last human rights report from Information under rehabilitation centre for human rights said from
20th March 2015 until now 31st March 2018, 3021 civilians were killed in Taiz. 680 of them are children.
480 something are women. The Houthis planted hundreds of thousands of mines in Taiz. It is something
we can’t close eyes to, so we should not leave this place without making help for the people of Taiz. I accuse the
Iranian regime, the Houthi for all what has happened in Taiz. Thank you very much.
I accuse too. I said that and I emphasise about that in my country there are three countries, not just in my
country by the way, in all in all Arab Spring countries. These three countries, they are waging war, they are
waging counter revolution, they are waging terrorist attacks and they are behind all the chaos. It is Iran, Saudi,
and Emirates. Those three countries don’t want democracy in Arab countries. They’re afraid from
democracy. They are behind all the counter revolutions, all the chaos that are happening in Arab countries.
Why? Because as I said they are afraid of democracy. And they are behind all this chaos because they want to
give a lesson to their people “ok look, what is happening to those countries that people go to the street and
struggle and demonstrate against their rulers…this is your destiny: war, collapsed country, poverty, famine,
etc. etc.” So they banished us because we call for freedom and democracy so no one can say that Saudi
alone destroys Arab countries – or the UAE or Iran. All of them and also behind them is the absence, if we want to 
say very kind words, or the complicity of the international community.
Alright, last question. Hello, thank you.
Now you said religion is being manipulated by the politicians. So, do you foresee any result or like any kind
of resolution to prevent that among Muslims. For instance, when Saudi Arabia did violence in Yemen
people didn’t talk much. Same in Palestine, not the same but in a different way. In Palestine we talk a lot about
Palestine but not about Yemen, right? Because it comes from a Muslim leader. So, this politics places a lot into
perception of religion among Muslims unfortunately. And by the suppressed media. We don’t talk about
human rights as much as we should and that also contributes. Because when we don’t respond in time,
the level of human rights violations increases - lots of civilians die.
So, how do we stop the politicians who manipulate religion, especially in Muslim majority countries and
how do we proceed to stop dictatorship if it is a real dictatorship. For instance, in Turkey, like nobody talks
about Turkey because they are all afraid of being labelled as anti-government but it is about human rights.
We have 17,000 women in jail; 50,000 students in jail. But, since it comes from a political party, everyone is
silent and everyone is afraid and nobody is talking about it. But, this is also about Muslims and this is also about
human rights and someone has to talk about it too. So, when I see this I lose my hope about Muslims and
human rights. I am very happy to see you very hopeful. How do you find that hope? Where does it come from?
And how do we stop this manipulation coming from politicians about religion? And at the end all the civilians
suffer from all these injustices.
Look, I really believe in the future and I really believe in the people that made and are still making a big sacrifice
for reaching to the freedom and democracy. And I believe will all this tyranny, we will not reach the moment
of a real representing of the human rights in general and also our human rights values in general and also our
religious values in particular. So, it’s very important to support those who moderate religion. To give them the
chance, to spring their thoughts. It’s very important to allow the people to express their rights. So, without
expressing rights those moderate people or those people who want to, how can I say it in English, forgive
my English. Who want to appear the real views of our religion, all of them, most of them are in jail, most of
them are in jail, most of them have been attacked by terrorists that is backed by dictators. So, always I say in 
my region that the solution key is standing against dictators. And we made it by the way when we made our
great revolution against the dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh, I will give you just this example, Ali Saleh when he was
the President, he funded and supported most of the extremism in my country. Not just the extremists, he
supported the terrorists: Al Qaeda. He gave them land, he gave them money, he gave them weapons. I made a
tour around the world and I told especially in the US, I told them, and here in the UK, I told them don’t believe
the dictator Ali Saleh. He is the one who supports terrorist attacks, for many reasons. One of them is to
take the money from you under the banner of “war on terror” and the other reason is because he used this
slogan to attack his opponents. They say no no Tawakkol, because you are against him so you said that.
Now, after 12 years of meeting them the reports of the Security Council talking about the relationship between
Ali Abdullah Saleh with the Al Qaeda. So it’s very important to know when they blockade the expression of
rights they directly and indirectly support the terrorism and extremism. In my country the dictator was
supporting the terrorist attacks. And I give you another example, I give you another example in Yemen. Now
Saudi and the Emirates support terrorists groups, Abu al-Abbas, he is a person named as a terrorist in last
October, from the US that his is a terrorist man. And now UAE and Saudi support him. Why do they support him?
Why? By money, by weapons, by etcetera. Why do they support him? Why is he a terrorist? Because they are
against democracy, because they are really benefitting from the extremism thoughts and they are the tools to
oppress our people. So, for me, my first struggle is to reach to democracy, to reach to the freedom.
And freedom and democracy will not be reached with those dictators and with the support that they have from
the international powers.
Thank you all for coming and I hope you found this talk extremely insightful. Can you please join me now in
thanking Mrs Karman for an amazing evening. Thank you
Thank you so much. My second time here again. It will be very soon InshaAllah (God willing) that I come to you
again with a good voice and with strong English and also I will come with a big hope and big destiny that our
people achieve their freedom and democracy. I think it will be very soon. Thank you all.
