Honorary Citizenship Granted in Italy to Three Iranian Women Sentenced to Death
The city council of “Fabriano” announced its support for human rights defenders by approving a plan to grant honorary citizenship to three Iranian women sentenced to death.
The city council of Fabriano in Italy unanimously approved on September 2nd a plan to grant honorary citizenship to “Varisha Moradi,” “Pakhshan Azizi,” and “Sharifa Mohammadi,” three Iranian female activists sentenced to death. This action is part of an ongoing wave of international support for political prisoners in Iran.
“Marta Ricutti,” a member of the Fabriano city council, wrote on her Facebook page on August 28th: “The decision was made because of their peaceful activities in defending the rights of women and workers. This plan was shaped by a strong request from the Fabriano Equal Opportunities Commission, which asked all council members to submit the proposal to the city council.”
She further emphasized: “Granting honorary citizenship is not merely a symbolic gesture, but an effort to give voice to those who struggle for freedom and human dignity. This decision was also made with the aim of increasing international pressure to stop executions and urge Iranian authorities to reconsider these sentences. Speaking about this is vital. Silence means complicity, but speaking is a tool for resistance and solidarity.”
In this regard, the campaign “Freedom for Varisha Moradi” announced that the city council of “Gesi” in Italy will also vote on September 30, 2025, corresponding to October 8, 2025 in the Persian calendar, on granting honorary citizenship to these three female human rights activists of Kurdish origin.
These symbolic decisions are being taken by European local institutions while the Islamic Republic continues its systematic suppression of civil activists, Christians, and other religious minorities as well as political opponents. Death sentences against female activists are part of a broader pattern aimed at silencing critical and independent voices in Iran.
The granting of honorary citizenship by city councils in Europe serves as a reminder that beyond Iran’s borders, the voices of these activists are heard and universal values such as freedom, human dignity, and justice continue to be supported by the international community. At a time when silence can mean complicity with suppression, such symbolic actions carry a clear message of solidarity and resistance.
