From Colombia with Love for Humanity

On May 11-12, an internationalist festival of the oppressed took place in Colombia sending love to Toomaj and Iran’s political prisoners. It was organized by the IEC’s sister campaign in Colombia—Quemar la Jaula (“Burn the Cage”). It brought the fierce rebel spirit of Toomaj and Iran’s resisters to the city walls and onto center stage with great enthusiasm and creativity. Their demand was Freedom for Toomaj and all political prisoners in Iran!

Jornada Cultural por la Vida de Toomaj Salehi (Day of Culture for the Life of Rebel Rapper Toomaj Salehi)

Casa de Cultura Las Estancias in the city of Medellín hosted a full Day of Culture. This cultural space in the downpressed neighborhood of Comuna 8 has been called “the birthplace of many rap groups," as described by rapper El Mocho Barrio. A bold and beautiful mural of Toomaj appeared on the wall in front of the Casa de Cultura. A series of large boards around the venue illustrated the stories of Iran’s different political prisoners in an up close and personal way. There were enlargements of IEC’s Emergency Appeal and also information about the Quemar La Jaula campaign. Volunteers gave a presentation followed by hip hop performances from community rappers to a lively audience. The next day, a number of youth who had attended the Day of Culture on the day before, then joined onstage at the Festival R-A-P holding up lettering that spelled out Free Toomaj.

Intervención por la libertad de Toomaj - Festival Erre Apé 2024 (Medellín, Colombia)

Rapper El Mocho Barrio, who later led the audience in a call and response, introduced the event: “Tonight I am with a big movement. We are protesting because a brother of ours in the nation of hip hop, a rapper, is going to be murdered, a rapper in Iran for speaking the truth, for supporting the movement of women, for supporting justice, for supporting the struggle, for supporting the truth in Iran….”

Another MC added: “Brothers and sisters, in a world where injustice and oppression are our daily bread, the people who stand up to protest all this are silenced and oppressed…. That can’t happen in any part of the world…. So today I do raise my hand and raise my voice, not just for Toomaj and not just because he is a rapper, because he is much more than that. We are one single humanity and I raise my hand, not just for him but for all the people whose freedom has been ripped from them unjustly… [applause]”