Hearing of the Extraordinary Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights at the Italian Senate
On Thursday, December 5, 2024, the Human Rights Commission of the Italian Senate held an online hearing with Maryam Rajavi on the situation of human rights in Iran. A group of senators and senate advisors took part in this hearing, presided by Senator Estefania Pucarelli.
They included among others Senator Giulio Terzi, Senator Gisella Naturale, Senator Cinzia Pellegrino, Senator Donatella Campione, Senator Paola Mancini, Senator Luigi Spagnoli, and Senator Bartolomeo Amidei.
Maryam Rajavi joined this meeting via a video link, and presented a report to the Human Rights Commission on the systematic and flagrant violations of human rights by the mullahs’ regime. In this report, she explained about a long record of blatant human rights violations under the 46-year rule of execution and massacre in Iran.
She said, “The violation of human rights in Iran is an unrelenting war that invades every aspect of individual, social, intellectual, and cultural life. It is a comprehensive, organized, and continuous repression that tramples upon the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on a daily basis. This includes the imprisonment of at least half a million political prisoners over the past four decades, the use of dozens of methods of torture against them, and the mass execution—by firing squad and hanging—of countless political dissidents.”
Maryam Rajavi added, “On November 30, the Iranian regime’s judiciary sentenced six political prisoners to death on charges of ‘membership in the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.’ Over the past months, four more individuals have received the same death sentence on identical charges. The total number of executions in the past 11 months is at least 870, with thousands more languishing under death sentences. Although these convictions are often justified under various pretexts, their underlying purpose is to secure the survival of the clerical regime, making them fundamentally political in nature.”
Twelve ministries and 20 security and political agencies are actively engaged in suppressing women and enforcing the compulsory hijab.
The regime’s new criminal, inhuman, and anti-Islamic hijab law stands in direct violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international conventions. Through this oppressive law, Khamenei aims to subjugate society—especially women, who are leading the fight against religious fascism.
One of the most brutal punishments inflicted on the victims of poverty and oppression is the amputation of their fingers. Last month, the fingers of two brothers were cut off. At least 13 others are anticipating this inhumane punishment.
I appeal to Italy, which has been a leader in the global fight to abolish the death penalty, to take the initiative in halting the brutal executions in Iran.
Senator Estefania Pucarelli, Chair of the Senate Human Rights Committee, from the Northern League (the ruling coalition), expressed her own and colleagues’ solidarity with the people of Iran who have been suffering for a long time. She said, “Respect for human rights in Iran is one of the priorities of this commission.” She commended Maryam Rajavi for her daily efforts, especially in support of women in Iran who are suffering in particular.
Senator Terzi said: I wish success for you, for the Iranian Resistance, and for the Ten-Point Plan you have presented to the international community.
Six days ago, Alejo Vidal-Quadras was here. He is a real hero defending human rights. He was a target of an assassination attempt by the Iranian regime. Fortunately, today he has fully recovered and is very active in the struggle for the lofty cause of human rights in Iran. His assassin has been arrested and all evidence indicate that he was an agent of the Iranian regime.
Senator Pellegrino said: I thank you for your great endeavors and activities over several decades. Through such activities, you were able to engage various political factions on the international level. Together with you, we also believe that Iran will become a free and creative country.
