Lanzo Ruggiero, vice president of Italy’s National Association of Partisans, says the Iranian people deserve a democratic republic based on popular sovereignty, pluralism, secular governance, justice, and peace.
Speaking at the conference “No to Executions, Yes to Resistance” at Cuneo City Hall, Ruggiero linked the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom to Italy’s own history of resistance against fascism and Nazi occupation. He said ANPI’s commitment to defending freedom and democracy required continued solidarity with those confronting dictatorship in Iran.
The Cuneo branch of ANPI, which has operated as a civic and cultural institution since 1945, seeks to preserve bonds of solidarity between Italian partisans and freedom fighters in other countries. Ruggiero said the organization would continue supporting individuals and movements pursuing the democratic principles that shaped Italy’s liberation struggle.
“ We supported the National Council of Resistance of Iran in the past, we reaffirm that support today, and we will continue to stand behind this resistance in the future,” was the central message of his address.
A Democratic Republic Based on Universal Rights
Ruggiero expressed full support for the Ten-Point Plan presented by Maryam Rajavi, describing its principles as consistent with the values embodied in Italy’s anti-fascist Constitution.
He said the Iranian people deserved a democratic republic founded on popular sovereignty, universal suffrage, pluralism, justice, and peace, with a clear separation of religion and state.
The fundamental rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, he argued, must be restored and guaranteed to Iranian citizens. This requires a political system that protects freedom of belief, religion, and conscience rather than subordinating civil government to a religious authority’s interpretation of law.
Ruggiero also condemned the continued use of the death penalty, particularly against political dissidents and protesters. He argued that political and civil liberties cannot flourish while executions, the clerical establishment’s interpretation of Islamic law, and Revolutionary Courts remain instruments of state power.
Drawing on Italy’s historical experience, he warned against totalitarianism and extreme nationalism, which he said undermine civilization and rational political life.
He invoked the words attributed to political theorist Hannah Arendt: “The death of human empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.”
Executions as Instruments of Repression
Ruggiero called particular attention to the growing use of executions in Iran. Citing reports from various sources, he said hundreds of executions had been carried out since the beginning of 2026.
He described capital punishment as unacceptable under any circumstances and argued that Iran’s regime uses executions to intimidate society, silence dissent, and punish those who express opposition.
“Life, human dignity, and the fundamental guarantees of justice must be protected without exception,” was the principle underpinning his appeal.
ANPI, he said, joins human rights organizations in condemning the executions and demanding the cancellation of death sentences. He urged the international community, the Italian government, and European institutions to express unequivocal opposition to these practices.
Ruggiero stressed that the organization would not ignore the calls for solidarity coming from Iran. Its commitment extends beyond statements of concern to continued support for the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.
Preserving the Legacy of Resistance
Concluding his address, Ruggiero recalled the sacrifices made by Italian partisans in liberating the country from fascist dictatorship and Nazi domination. Their legacy, he said, places a responsibility on subsequent generations to defend freedom, democracy, and social justice wherever these principles are threatened.
The Iranian people’s struggle, in his view, deserves the same solidarity that Italy’s resistance movement sought from others during its fight for liberation.
Ruggiero reaffirmed that ANPI’s support for the NCRI was not a temporary position but a continuing commitment grounded in shared democratic principles.
He expressed hope that the Iranian resistance would help restore democracy and enable the country to build a future founded on human rights, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence.
For ANPI, he concluded, honoring the sacrifices of Italy’s partisans means standing with people who continue to resist dictatorship and seek the freedoms that Italians fought to secure.