Mural in Cali, Colombia Demands Stop Executions of Women in Struggle in Iran
Features Pakhshan Azizi and Sharifeh Mohammadi
Another spectacular mural by QuemarLaJaula appeared on Cali walls. This one features the faces of Sharifeh Mohammadi and Pakhshan Azizi, and reads, “Free all political prisoners in Iran NOW! Oppose the execution and oppression of women in struggle!” The image was shared in Farsi inside Iran, including by the free_sharifeh_mohammadi campaign, free_human__, freetoomajnow, and BurnTheCage.
Taking the campaign for the life and freedom of political prisoners in Iran out to people in Bogota, Colombia, from IG/@comrevco
From Instagram post of @comrevco. Caption and translation to English below.
En el concierto en apoyo al pueblo palestino realizado el 23 de febrero en la Plaza Bolívar en Bogotá, un grupo de comrevs y simpatizantes de la campaña por la vida y la libertad de los presos políticos en Irán distribuyeron volantes, conversaron con varios asistentes y llevaron grandes pancartas contra el genocidio israelí del pueblo palestino y en la defensa de los presos políticos en Irán. Tras una intervención en el escenario, se realizó la quema de las banderas de Israel y EEUU.
At the concert in support of the Palestinian people held on February 23 at Plaza Bolivar in Bogota, a group of revcoms and supporters of the campaign for the life and freedom of political prisoners in Iran distributed flyers, talked with several attendees and carried large banners against the Israeli genocide of the Palestinian people and in defense of the political prisoners in Iran. After an intervention on the stage, the burning of the flags of Israel and the USA took place.
Actions in Colombia for Anniversary of Jina Uprising: "Their struggle is our struggle!"
Announced by Quemar la Jaula on X (Twitter) and Instagram: International support events around the one-year anniversary of the murder of Mahsa Jina Amini and the start of the Women-Life-Freedom uprising. (Below: Translation to English by IEC volunteers)
Video from Colombia: Voices of Internationalist Solidarity
The Quemar la Jaula campaign in Colombia posted on Twitter its inspiring YouTube video in Spanish titled "Voces de solidaridad internacionalista por la libertad de los presos políticos en Irán", hashtags #FreePoliticalPrisonersInIran #20juneIran #FreeNahid #FreeToomaj, on the occasion of the week of actions for the Global Day of Support for Political Prisoners in Iran.
Background soundtrack for beginning and ending titles is Toomaj Salehi's “Battlefield” (watch "Battlefield" with lyrics in English on our Free Toomaj Resources page.)
Below is the embedded video and the spoken sections of the video translated to English by an IEC volunteer. The songs have not been translated. See Farsi resources page for video subtitled in Farsi.
Colombia: Exhibit brings political prisoner stories & Stop Executions demand to students
Students at the Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia, gathered to view beautiful large-format portrait illustrations of several political prisoners in Iran and to participate in discussions about how to stop the horrific wave of executions in Iran by relying on the people's struggle worldwide, shown in a tweet from Quemar La Jaula.
Quemar La Jaula also distributed several flyers, including a letter from Mehran Raouf and a call to students and academics issued by the IEC.
"Stop Executions in Iran!" rings out in Colombian streets
"The struggle of the Iranian people is our struggle!"
On May 21, in Bogotá and Cali, Colombia, in areas ranging from Ciclovia to street traffic, to street vendors and buyers in some of the hardest-hit oppressed districts, people carrying large placards of executed political prisoners and flyers reached out widely with the urgent call to stand with people in Iran and free political prisoners. Days earlier, the Islamic Republic of Iran had hanged three protesters.
Following are photos of these actions and a discussion on Instagram around them. Translation from Spanish posts are by an IEC volunteer.
Colombia Feb 2023: "Join your own longing for a radically new and better world with the hope that beats in the hearts of the heroic women and men of Iran"
We're pleased to share two videos from QuemarLaJaula in Colombia. Translation from Spanish to English by IEC volunteers.
January 30. "In the resort community of San Antonio de Cali, Colombia, the international campaign for the freedom of #Toomaj, the brave Iranian rapper, we called on people in restaurants, hostels and streets to be the voice of the people of Iran!"
Feb 11. "Several activities in recent weeks have been carried in out in Cali around the campaign "Burn the Cage, Free the Birds!". This video gives a glimpse." Exposition of prisoners' stories, documentary "Nasrin". Audio = "Burn the Cage" anthem by Shekib Mosadeq. For translation, click to open full text.
Taking "The struggle of Iranian people is our struggle" to Cartagena Clock Tower
Must watch! "The people of Iran are our people, too". Press "CC" for translations. Gallows, posters of political prisoners, and flyers reach a wide audience at the 400-year-old Cartagena Clock Tower, most famous landmark in Colombia.
“The Iranian people have issued a call, not to the governments but to the peoples of the world:Take this struggle up as your own”
New Year’s Message from Colombia
On December 31, 2022, @QuemarLaJaula, a group of revolutionaries and activists in Colombia dedicated to the struggle to free political prisoners in Iran, posted an inspiring video message.
Volunteers with the International Emergency Campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners NOW have translated the text, posted below.
Protest at Iranian Embassy in Colombia Dec 2022
December 25, 2022. @QuemarLaJaula
“The Islamic Republic is a reactionary force and the Yankees are even worse. We choose another way and we struggle for it”
December 20, 2022: A bold internationalist action by activists and revolutionaries of Quemar la Jaula / Liberar a los Pájaros (Burn the Cage, Free the Birds) was held at the Iranian Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia. Their banner in Spanish and Farsi read: Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran! Down with imperialism!
"Peoples of the World Must Act!": Colombians at Iran Embassy, Universities, December 2022
Once again, in December 2022 people in Colombia demonstrated to the world how to elevate the demand to Free Iran's Political Prisoners to a global demand. Tweets from @QuemarLaJaula show actions ranging from a protest at the Iranian embassy, to university murals and agitation and street theater in several cities.
Bogotá, Dec 20: "The Islamic Republic of Iran has blood on its hands. The struggle of the Iranian people is just! We the people of the world must act! Video: Protest today in front of the Iranian embassy in Bogotá."
Worldwide Actions: Free Toomaj Salehi
Some initial sights and sounds of responses to the call from Toomaj's family for worldwide actions to demand his immediate release.
French language flyer distributed in France
5 Nov. "In Medellín, Colombia, after a conference on the uprisings in Iran, we join the call for the immediate release of the rapper #ToomajSalehi and that of all political prisoners in Iran."
5 Nov. Toronto, Canada, rally at Toronto Municipal Square in support of revolutionary artist Toomaj Salehi. Toomaj's cousin spoke: "Toomaj was born from a revolutionary family, his aunts were political prisoners, his uncles were political prisoners, and we were not less hit by the Islamic Republic." She called on people to the voice of Toomaj.
New Solidarity Actions in Colombia Oct 22
In early October, as the uprising in Iran began to rage, the Burn the Cage/Free the Birds campaign in Europe issued an urgent appeal—to globalize the struggle to free Iran’s political prisoners, in which they proclaimed: “People outside Iran, you have to become the Iranian people’s voice to the world.”
A resounding echo came from revolutionaries in Colombia—across continents, oceans and mountains! Women and men with Alborada Comunista, Voice of the Revolutionary Communist Group in Colombia, fanned out into barrios, universities, tourist and other popular areas of Bogotá, Cali, Bucaramanga, Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Medellín. For several weeks, people all over Colombia saw the faces and heard the stories of Iran’s political prisoners in beautifully painted portraits to join the fight for their freedom. Students watched and discussed the film NASRIN about the life and work of courageous defense lawyer and political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh. Literature tables carried tracts that ranged from flyers for the International Emergency Campaign to books on the New Communism developed by revolutionary leader Bob Avakian.
View compilation below.
"With great joy and full of hope"
A Letter to Compañeros in Colombia from Burn the Cage/Free the Birds
El IEC received this letter from the Burn the Cage spokesperson after they read this report from Colombia.
Compañeros y compañeras de ComRevCo,
With great joy and full of hope we read the report regarding your support and promotion of the campaign to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners at the International Poetry Festival in Medellín.
Friends and comrades, this is what we are all fighting for: A totally different world where people have come out of their small spheres and see the world as a whole, a world with internationalism coming first.
In your report you mentioned groups and political organizations that believe that the Iranian government is anti-imperialist and should be supported. Their attitude shows how short-sighted and tragic they are. We should ask them: how can you call yourselves progressive and support a regime that imprisons and murders the people of Iran, for 43 years?
Comrades, the people of Colombia are our people too, and we are your people. We have the same enemy and that is the worldwide capitalist system. The Iranian government and Colombian regime are not on our side, they and all other reactionaries are on their side. They may have contradictions with each other, but we cannot throw ourselves into their arms, we cannot be so gullible. We don't need them, but we need each other!
The Emergency Campaign to free political prisoners in Iran takes up internationalism and relies on people of the world, not the governments of the world. Your actions are an internationalist model for us and the world and each time we hear from you it is more inspirational than previous actions.
With the hopes of going beyond the world of oppression, exploitation, prison and prisoners!
Warmest hug!
Kave Milani, spokesman for Burn the Cage/Free the Birds, Europe
Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín, Colombia
La audaz lucha por liberar a los prisioneros políticos en Irán sobre la base del internacionalismo
La CIE recibió por correo electrónico un reporte detallado desde Colombia sobre el Festival Internacional de Poesía en Medellín. Estamos posteando la versión sintetizada publicada en revcom.us/es para no repetir el esfuerzo. Los que firmaron públicamente el Llamamiento durante el Festival se encuentran en nuestra lista completa de firmantes, y incluyen artistas que mencionamos en nuestra Alerta del 8 de agosto.
A LOS COMPAÑEROS EN COLOMBIA: ¡MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS Y UN FUERTE ABRAZO!
A fines de julio, se celebró el 32º Festival Internacional de Poesía de Medellín con veintenas de invitados de 24 países. El Festival, que se realiza desde 1991, es organizado por la Revista de Poesía Prometeo y el Movimiento Poético Mundial, y ha alcanzado cierto reconocimiento internacional. Se realizaron jornadas de lectura de poemas en distintas partes de Medellín y municipios cercanos ante públicos nutridos. Los poetas expusieron cantos a la naturaleza, contra su destrucción por parte del capitalismo, a la unidad entre las personas del mundo, a la vida, voces contra el feminicidio, contra el colonialismo y el racismo, en múltiples idiomas, permitiendo un valioso intercambio entre los artistas y el público.
Nuestro equipo, de unas diez personas (de la localidad y de otras partes del país), distribuyó sus fuerzas para asistir a varios de los eventos del Festival, realizados en diferentes escenarios de la ciudad. Inspirados por el Llamamiento de la Campaña Internacional de Emergencia (CIE), nuestro objetivo era dar a conocer la situación de los prisioneros políticos en Irán, la CIE y el Llamamiento de la CIE. Instamos a estas voces a firmar el Llamamiento y para replicarlo con otras personas en el mundo. Los llamamos de unirse a denunciar la represión, torturas, encarcelamiento y asesinatos por parte de la República Islámica de Irán (RII) y condenar las amenazas y movimientos de guerra del imperialismo estadounidense y sus sanciones económicas que significan un terrible sufrimiento más para las masas iraníes. Se difundió el Llamamiento en español, inglés, portugués y francés, y se presentó la Exposición “¡A Quemar la Jaula, A Liberar a los Pájaros!”, una colección de 36 piezas (vea las imágenes), además de una proyección del documental Nasrin. Se dio a conocer que se ha empeorado recientemente por parte de la RII el encarcelamiento e incluso ejecución de artistas, poetas, defensores de derechos humanos, cineastas, feministas, activistas, ambientalistas y muchas otras más personas, y que especialmente que hace poco fueron encarcelados los cineastas Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof y Mostafa Al Ahmad.
International Poetry Festival in Medellín, Colombia
Boldly Struggling to Free Iran’s Political Prisoners on the Basis of Internationalism
The IEC was emailed a detailed report from Colombia about the International Poetry Festival in Medellin. We are posting the translation and condensed version posted on revcom.us so as not to duplicate efforts. Those who publicly signed the Appeal at the Festival are entered into our full signers' list and include artists we listed in our August 8 Alert.
A LOS COMPAÑEROS EN COLOMBIA: ¡MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS Y UN FUERTE ABRAZO!
In late July, the 32nd International Poetry Festival of Medellín took place with scores of invitees from 24 countries. This internationally recognized Festival has been held since 1991, organized by the poetry magazine Prometeo and the World Poetry Movement. There were readings in different parts of Medellin and nearby cities to large audiences. The poets recited songs to nature and against its destruction by capitalism; for unity among the world’s people against femicide, colonialism and racism, performing in multiple languages enabling a rich exchange between artists and audience.
Kolombiya’dan Mektup: “Dünyanın Gözü İran’da…”
Letter about Internationalist March in Colombia, published in Turkey
Geçen Perşembe günü -6 Ocak tarihinde öğleden sonra- coşkulu bir enternasyonalist ruha sahip yaklaşık üç düzine protestocu, gerici İran İslam Cumhuriyeti temsilcilerine özellikle ellerinde taşıdıkları siyasi mahkumların durumuyla ilgili posterlerle şunu bildirmek için Bogota’daki İran büyükelçiliğinin önünde toplandılar: “Dünyanın gözü İran’da!”
Ön tarafta savaşçıların resimlerini ve kısa hikayelerini ve arka tarafta İngilizce veya İspanyolca metin bulunan kampanya tasarımlarını içeren posterleri ayrıca New York Kitap İncelemesi’nde yayınlanmış çağrının büyütülmüş birkaç afişini taşıyan protestocular dakikalarca ve ısrarla “Dünyanın gözü İran’da!” sloganları attı.
Birkaç protestocu ise kaldırıma şu sloganları yazdı:
“İran İslam Cumhuriyeti’nden talep ediyoruz: TÜM SİYASİ TUTUKLARI ŞİMDİ SERBEST BIRAKIN!”
“ABD hükümetinden talep ediyoruz: İRAN’A KARŞI HER TÜR TEHDİT VE SAVAŞ GİRİŞİMİNE SON VERİN! ABD YAPTIRIMLARINI KALDIRIN!”
Protestocular geldikleri sırada gruplar halinde dağıldıktan sonra, yaklaşık üç kilometre güneyde, çoğunlukla yabancı turistlerin ziyaret ettiği Chapinero bölgesindeki bir park olan Plaza de Lourdes’de yeniden toplandılar. Bir saatten fazla bir süre boyunca, protestocular alanın on iki bloğunu dolaşırken, her biri yanlarında tutukluların davasıyla ilgili taşıdıkları posterden okudular. Her üç okumadan sonra, bir konuşmacı İran’daki ve dünyadaki “tarihsel olarak miadı dolmuş iki tabakayı” kınayan Acil Durum Çağrısı’ndan ve IEC [Uluslararası Acil Durum Komitesi’nden İran’daki Siyasi Mahkumlara Özgürlük] “JCPOA Müzakereleri Devam Ederken Dünyanın Gözü İran’da” bildirisinden alıntıları okudu.
Colombia: "The Eyes of the World are on Iran"
Letter: Internationalist March in Bogotá
The IEC received this statement in Spanish on Jan 9.
Dear Friends,
Here you will find a short report (in Spanish) on recent activities in Colombia in support of the IEC goals. There are some photos in Twitter (@ComRevCo). Last Thursday, January 6, shortly after noon, some three dozen protesters with an overflowing internationalist spirit gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Bogotá to let the representatives of the reactionary Islamic Republic of Iran know that “The eyes of the world are on Iran,” especially with regard to the situation of the political prisoners that it has in its clutches.
De Colombie: "Les yeux du monde sont tournés vers l'Iran"
Lettre : Marche internationaliste
Voici une courte lettre (traduite de l’espagnol) sur les activités récentes en Colombie en faveur des objectifs de la Campagne d’urgence internationale.
Chers amis,
Jeudi dernier, le 6 janvier, peu après midi, une quarantaine de manifestants à l'esprit internationaliste débordant se sont rassemblés devant l'ambassade d'Iran à Bogotá pour faire savoir aux représentants de la République islamique réactionnaire d'Iran que « les yeux du monde sont rivés sur l'Iran », notamment en ce qui concerne la situation des prisonniers politiques qu'il détient dans ses griffes.
КОЛУМБИЯ: «ГЛАЗА МИРА ОБРАЩЕНЫ НА ИРАН»
Письмо: международный марш в Боготе - Letter from Colombia, Russian translation
«Международная чрезвычайная кампания» получила это письмо 9 января 2022 года (перевод на английский язык). Фотографии с места события можно найти в Twitter и Instagram.
Дорогие друзья, здесь прочитаете наше письмо (в переводе с испанского языка) о недавней деятельности в Колумбии в поддержку целей Международной чрезвычайной компании за освобождение политзаключённых в Иране.
COLOMBIA: "Los Ojos del Mundo están puestos sobre Irán"
Carta: Marcha internacionalista en Bogotá
La Campaña Internacional de Emergencia recibió esta carta el 9 de enero 2022. (English translation). Fotos se encuentra en Twitter y Instagram.
Dear Friends,
Here you will find a short report (in Spanish) on recent activities in Colombia in support of the IEC goals. There are some photos in Twitter (@ComRevCo).
"The Eyes of the World Are on Iran": Protest at Iran Embassy in Colombia
The IEC received this letter from Bogotá, Colombia (Original en español). Photos on Twitter and Instagram
Dear friends:
Following are some notes about a recent exciting internationalist activity in the Colombian capital.
Last Thursday, January 6, shortly after noon, some three dozen protesters with an overflowing internationalist spirit gathered in front of the Iranian embassy in Bogotá to let the representatives of the reactionary Islamic Republic of Iran know that “The eyes of the world are on Iran,” especially with regard to the situation of the political prisoners that it has in its clutches.
Carrying posters with the images and a brief story of some of the fighters on the front and designs from the campaign with text in English or Spanish on the back, as well as a couple of banners with enlargements of the ad that appeared in the New York Review of Books, the protesters chanted insistently for several minutes: “The eyes of the world are on Iran...,” “We demand from the Islamic Republic of Iran: FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS NOW!,” “We demand from the U.S. government: NO THREATS OR WAR MOVES AGAINST IRAN, LIFT U.S. SANCTIONS!,” while a couple of protesters wrote one of these slogans on the pavement.
