19 June 2009 :

there were at least 346 executions carried out in Iran in 2008 and at least 200 have already taken place in 2009. These figures come from the dossier 'Iran death penalty and not only' that will be presented by Hands Off Cain at the Radical Party headquarters in Rome. The eagerly anticipated annual report will published in about a month.
The dossier is based on the monitoring of principal Iranian newspapers and reports provided by humanitarian organisations. It confirms that in 2008, Iran was in second place for executions, behind China and in front of Saudi Arabia.
It was, however, the only country that executed minors: according to the document 13 were hanged last year, and at least four were executed in 2009 as of May 31.
“The brutality of the Mullah’s regime isn’t only a result of Iranian religious fundamentalism. Europe treats this regime, almost condescendingly, with silence and tolerance,” Sergio D'Elia, HOC secretary, said.
 What is happening in Iran now is the result of the inhumanity of a regime that is second only to China when it comes the death penalty. ‘However, Europe selected Iran to be a protagonist and a stabiliser of the problems in the Middle East,’ according to D'Elia. ‘Everyone can see that Iran is a part of the problem, not part of the solution.’
D'Elia also points the finger at the Italian Government 'that pursues a dialogue with Teheran under the name of a dialogue on human rights. Therefore the success of this dialogue is in the number of executions, which increase year after year.'
For the HOC secretary the only possible choice is to promote basic human rights in Iran. This is achieved by supporting the organised and spontaneous movements that struggle against the regime in favour of democracy and a State of rights.
Participating at the presentation of the dossier, the Cultural assessor of the Comune of Rome, Umberto Croppi, said that "The Comune of Rome stands beside Hands Off Cain' and supports its initiatives."
"This morning I signed a document to renew the Comune’s support for Hands Off Cain’s initiatives," the assessor said. "When we speak of Iran we talk about a society that has a thousand year old culture. But what’s happening now represents the possibility of breaking the power of the regime that is imposing this situation."
The assessor was referring to the protests that Ahmadinejad’s regime is suffocating with violence. "It is therefore right to renew the agreement and give force to our struggle."