On March 21, 2025, a conference titled “Iran on the Path to Change – Stop the Executions” was held this week in the Italian Parliament, spotlighting the escalating human rights crisis in Iran and voicing unified political support for the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy. The event was organized by the Iranian Youth Association in Italy, under the patronage of Fabio Rampelli, Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, and chaired by Antonio Stango, President of the Italian Federation for Human Rights.
Antonio Stango, chair of the conference, opened the session by acknowledging the deepening crisis in Iran, which he said now engulfs the entire society. He expressed hope that the signs of growing unrest point to a turning point for the Iranian people. Stango emphasized that the regime’s foundations are weakening and that the international community must recognize the momentum behind the Iranian people’s demand for change. His remarks framed the conference as both timely and urgent, underscoring the need to stand with the Iranian people in their struggle for justice and freedom.
Senator Marco Scurria, Secretary of the EU Policy Commission in the Italian Senate, delivered a powerful message of solidarity. He emphasized that support for the Iranian people transcends party lines, noting that many Italian lawmakers from across the political spectrum back the Iranian resistance and its democratic aspirations. Scurria condemned the clerical regime’s escalating execution rates, describing them as a national disgrace, and likened the regime’s eventual downfall to the unexpected fall of the Berlin Wall—a moment of historic liberation he believes is approaching for Iran. He reaffirmed support for the democratic vision presented in the Ten-Point Plan of Maryam Rajavi, calling for a secular, non-nuclear republic where women play a leading role.
Presenza dei membri @azarkarimi1460 e @ghazal844 alla Conferenza presso la Camera dei Deputati
Mercoledi 19 Marzo
“L'Iran verso il cambiamento
Fermare le esecuzioni”
Con la partecipazione del Sen. @MarcoScurria e del presidente della Fidu @AntonioStango #StopExecutionsInIran pic.twitter.com/qsVI8lEAQt— Associazione Giovani Iraniani Residenti in Italia (@GiovaniIraniani) March 19, 2025
Human rights advocate Azar Karimi addressed the regime’s systematic hostage-taking and blackmail diplomacy, citing the controversial releases of convicted criminals like Assadollah Assadi and Hamid Noury as major incentives for further executions, terrorism, and repression. She highlighted the impunity enjoyed by regime officials responsible for crimes such as the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, the assassination of Dr. Kazem Rajavi, and the murder of Mohammad Hossein Naghdi in Rome. Karimi stressed that international inaction and appeasement have only emboldened the regime and argued that meaningful accountability, not silence, is the only effective path forward.
Ghazal Afshar, representing the Iranian Youth Association, called attention to the enduring impact of the 1988 massacre, described by Amnesty International as an ongoing crime against humanity. She noted that many perpetrators remain in power today. Afshar also spoke of the powerful role women play in Iran’s resistance movement, particularly through the growing “No to Executions Tuesdays” campaign in prisons. Echoing the rallying cry “Woman, Resistance, Freedom,” she praised the central leadership role of women in the opposition, including Maryam Rajavi, whose decades of advocacy have inspired generations of Iranian women to fight for their rights under one of the world’s most repressive regimes.
IRAN Libero. Comitato Interparlamentare condanna fermamente la campagna di diffamazione contro Maryam Rajavi (AGENPARL) – Il Comitato Interparlamentare per un IRAN Libero, che riunisce Senatori e Deputati appartenenti alla quasi totalità delle forze politiche del Parlamento… pic.twitter.com/fsUkgUB92r
— Giulio Terzi (@GiulioTerzi) March 24, 2025
The event closed with a strong sense of unity and purpose, emphasizing that the Iranian people’s resistance is not isolated. Italian parliamentarians, human rights defenders, and members of the Iranian diaspora collectively underscored that the time has come to end the regime’s execution spree, hold its leaders accountable, and support the Iranian people in their pursuit of a democratic and free republic.