A recent conference in Turin, Italy brought together human rights advocates, labor unions, and civil society groups to strongly condemn Iran’s escalating use of executions and to voice support for democratic change in the country. Organized by the Free and Democratic Iran Association in collaboration with the National Association of Italian Partisans and the CGIL trade union, the event reflected growing European concern over Tehran’s increasing repression.
Speakers highlighted Iran’s alarming execution rate—estimated to account for 75% of global executions in the past year—and called for decisive international action to hold the regime accountable. Central to the conference was support for the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and its President-elect, Maryam Rajavi, who was presented as a viable democratic alternative to the current theocratic regime.
Participants described the Iranian regime as being in deep crisis, citing its diminishing regional influence and reliance on mass executions as signs of desperation. The NCRI’s political platform—which includes abolishing the death penalty, promoting gender equality, and ensuring the separation of religion and state—was portrayed as both realistic and urgently necessary.
Human rights advocate Gianni Sartorio praised the resilience and legitimacy of the Iranian Resistance, which has endured decades of persecution and exile. The recent wave of domestic protests, he said, reflects a growing alignment between the Iranian people and the Resistance’s values.
Laura Pompeo, a Piedmont regional official, criticized Iran’s human rights violations and mentioned efforts within the regional council to adopt a resolution opposing capital punishment in Iran. She expressed particular hope for the role of Iranian women and youth in leading change.
Echoing these views, Amnesty International’s regional coordinator Luca Andriani condemned the Iranian judiciary’s systemic abuses, including gender discrimination, religious persecution, and the use of hostage diplomacy, arguing that the regime remains beyond reform.
Multiple speakers urged Western governments to end their policy of appeasement toward Tehran. Dr. Yousef Lassani, the conference’s final speaker, said Iran’s leadership is using executions and repression to offset its weakening position in the region and rising internal dissent. He pointed to the growth of PMOI-led Resistance Units inside Iran as evidence of mounting pressure.
Dr. Lassani also endorsed the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan as a concrete roadmap for a democratic future in Iran. He called on European countries to officially recognize the Iranian people’s right to resist tyranny and to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. Continued diplomatic engagement with Tehran, he warned, would only embolden its brutality.
The Turin conference follows a wave of similar events across Europe, signaling broader political and civil society momentum in support of Iranian democracy. Organizers committed to expanding the campaign within Italian institutions to build parliamentary support for stronger EU policies on Iran.
The event concluded with a resounding message of solidarity with the Iranian people—especially women and youth—who continue to resist government repression. Participants agreed that the time has come for Europe to firmly stand with the democratic forces striving for change in Iran.
