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Conference Held to Discuss International Measures to Provide Justice for Victims of 1988 Massacre in Iran

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NCRI – To review the situation of human rights in Iran and in support of the movement seeking justice for the victims of the 1988 massacre, a conference was held in Rome on July 27 by Italy’s ‘Don’t Touch Cain’ community, Human Rights League, and the Radical Party, with the participants being representatives from both houses of Italian parliament as well as the country’s political figures and human rights activists.

The meeting, held at Don’t Touch Cain Community’s office in Rome and presided over by Elisabetta Zamparutti, community official and Italy’s Radical party member, was broadcast live on Radio Radicale.

While condemning Iranian regime’s wave of executions and Revolutionary Guards’ terrorist interventions in the region, conference speakers stressed on the necessity of holding the regime accountable by launching international investigations into the 1988 massacre and putting its perpetrators on trial.

“This conference is held to inform public opinion of the massacre taken place in 1988 in Iranian regime’s prisons, during which more than 30,000 political prisoners were executed”, said Elisabetta Zamparuttin in the beginning of the conference, adding “Those responsible for the massacre are still in power. Today at this conference we’re going to address the 1988 events and see what responsibility we have in this regard.”

The next speaker was former Italian FM Giulio Terzi, who read NCRI’s president-elect Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s message to the conference. He then delivered his speech, saying “it’s too important for us to ponder Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s message and take a look at the situation in Iran and the Middle East. The international community often ignores this situation but it seems that now is the awakening time. Now it’s the time for Iranian regime officials to be brought to justice for their 1988 crime.”

“The Iranian regime plays an active role in destabilizing the Middle East and supporting terrorist organizations and Shiite militias”, Terzi added, “Such activities need to be stopped by designating IRGC as a terrorist group.”

Ricardo Noury, Amnesty International spokesman in Italy, also spoke in the conference, saying “After 29 years, the perpetrators of the 1988 massacre are still immune from punishment, while the relatives of the victims seeking justice for their loved ones are prosecuted and arrested. There are also a number of more unfortunate reports along with some recently released photos showing that the Iranian regime is going to destroy mass graves related to the 1988 massacre, so there’ll be no sign of the incident and it’ll be completely forgotten.”

“I believe that expansion of economic and trade relations with the Iranian regime has actually deteriorated the situation of human rights in the country”, said Noury, adding “We see that after taking office, Rouhani adopted the policy of stifling the dissidents, journalists, and human rights as well as women rights activists.”

The next speaker, Dr. Antonio Stango, head of Italy’s International Human Rights League, also pointed to the 1988 massacre, saying “Unfortunately, the international community decided to remain silent, allowing the Iranian regime to freely move ahead with committing even more crimes. As we can see, the execution rate has significantly increased under this regime, particularly during Rouhani’s term in office. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi’s message points out that these crimes could be investigated by international bodies, and this is our responsibility to make it happen.”

Also speaking at the Rome conference was Mariano Rabino, member of Italian Parliament’s Foreign Relations and Human Rights Committees, who said “we, the Italian Senate and Chamber of Deputies Foreign Relations Committees, should discuss and take practical measures regarding the 1988 massacre and Iranian regime’s human rights violations. We have to pursue the issue through resolutions and hearing sessions. We can no longer allow such regimes to rule and continue repressing and killing people under the name of God.”

Italian MP Nicola Ciraci said “I’m well prepared to have a protesting open letter signed by members of both houses of Italian parliament as well as political figures, and sent to the Prime Minister so he revises his policies with regard to human rights and relations with the Iranian regime.”

Stefania Pezzopane, Deputy Chair of Italian Senate Immunity Committee, said “I’ve registered a resolution on Iran’s human rights situation that is signed by senators from different groups. Iranian regime keeps executing prisoners on a large scale, and is a misogynic regime that keeps repressing women and trampling their rights.”

Senator Luigi Compagna, member of Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, pointed to NCRI’s campaigns, including their justice seeking movement, saying “I’m so happy to join other MPs in standing by Maryam Rajavi in this campaign.”

Roberto Rampi, member of Italian Parliament’s Human Rights Committee, said in his speech “the reason I’m here today is that I was present in NCRI’s grand gathering in Paris a few weeks ago, to see the people, the real people and their leader, and the Iranians who are living outside their country while trying to establish a free, democratic Iran. There’s a real force to change and succeed the Iranian regime. We should support those who are fighting for freedom and democracy in Iran.”

As the last speaker of the Rome conference, Esmaeil Mohaddes pointed in his speech to a history of Iranian regime’s human rights violations and the 1988 massacre, stressing that the time has come for the criminals to be brought to justice.