At an October 10 conference marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Walloon-Brussels regional parliament member Loris Resinelli praised Iran’s protesting youth and women, backed the NCRI’s democratic platform, and called for a secular, democratic republic.
Belgian Lawmaker Backs a Democratic Alternative for Iran
Loris Resinelli, a member of the Parliament of the Walloon-Brussels Federation in Belgium, has voiced support for Iran’s democratic resistance, emphasizing that the fall of the clerical regime must lead to a genuinely democratic future rather than a return to monarchical dictatorship.
Speaking at a conference marking the October 10 World Day Against the Death Penalty, Resinelli paid tribute to the young Iranians who have challenged the regime despite the threat of arrest, torture, and execution. He also honored the women fighting for their rights and those continuing to pursue political change inside Iran despite the government’s campaign of repression.
His remarks highlighted two closely connected demands: an end to executions and the establishment of a free Iran based on democracy, gender equality, and the separation of religion and state.
Tribute to Iran’s Youth and Women
Resinelli recalled the images of young Iranians who rose up against the regime during the January 2026 protests, risking their lives in defiance of years of intimidation and state violence.
He expressed solidarity with those killed in the regime’s crackdown and with those who continue to resist despite the dangers. Their determination, he argued, reflects the persistence of a movement that has not abandoned its aspiration for a free and democratic Iran.
He also emphasized the central role of Iranian women in the struggle, recognizing their fight for the right to live with dignity and enjoy equal rights. For Resinelli, the courage of women and young people inside Iran is essential to keeping the demand for fundamental political change alive.
His message extended beyond those participating directly in protests to all Iranians working to preserve the vision of a country free from authoritarian rule and religious domination.
Support for the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan
Resinelli also praised members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), who continue their political activities in exile to promote an alternative to the current regime.
He pointed to the NCRI’s Ten-Point Plan as a framework for a future democratic Iran, particularly its commitment to separating religion and state. He described the program as consistent with the expectations of a society seeking freedom and with the universal aspiration of people to live under a system that respects their rights.
The plan, he indicated, offers a vision of Iran in which political legitimacy rests on democratic principles rather than religious authority or hereditary rule.
Resinelli said Belgian institutions stand with the democratic struggle for a free Iran, underscoring the importance of international solidarity with those working to bring about political change.
“No Shah, No Mullahs”
A central point of Resinelli’s speech was his rejection of the idea that the clerical regime should be replaced by another authoritarian system.
He expressed confidence that the Iranian people’s resistance would ultimately bring down the ruling establishment. However, he warned that the end of clerical rule must not result in the restoration of the monarchy associated with the Shah.
Such a replacement, he argued, would fail to meet the aspirations of a population seeking freedom, democracy, and peace. Iran’s future should not involve exchanging one form of authoritarianism for another, but establishing a political system that respects the rights and choices of its citizens.
His position echoed the principle of “No Shah, No Mullahs,” rejecting both monarchical dictatorship and clerical rule in favor of a democratic republic.
Resinelli’s intervention at the anti-execution conference thus connected the immediate demand to end capital punishment with the broader struggle over Iran’s political future. For him, solidarity with the Iranian people means supporting not merely the end of the current regime, but the establishment of a free, democratic, and secular Iran.