The IEC is profoundly heartened and has learned much from the actions of international solidarity by Colombian supporters of the political prisoners in Iran from diverse political perspectives. Below we present a compilation, starting with a few featured actions of special significance.
We urge people to share these and to follow @QuemarLaJaula and @comrevco on IG.
Featured Actions in Colombia
From Colombia In Solidarity with 3rd Anniversary of Woman, Life, Freedom Uprising
Calling for Freedom for Political Prisoners in Iran and No War in Middle East!
On September 21, 2025, Quemar La Jaula posted from Cali, Colombia about a commemoration of the third anniversary of the Gina Uprising with displays and discussions in a public park. Read on for English and Spanish descriptions and photos.
At Carnival in Colombia: Condemning Genocide in Palestine and Commemorating Gina Uprising
Quemar La Jaula, together with No a la Guerra en el Mediooriente, joined the procession at the Carnaval de Sogamoso with an artistic action condemning the genocide in Palestine. Read English and Spanish descriptions of the event, more photos and a video from the joint post on September 21.
Colombia Actions Mark Anniversary of “No to Execution Tuesdays” Prisoners’ Hunger Strike Movement in Iran
Actions worldwide marked the one-year anniversary of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” hunger strike by prisoners, which has spread to 34 prisons across Iran. A related general market strike shut down completely or in part at least 13 cities in the oppressed Kurdistan region of Iran on January 22.
Noteworthy was an action in Colombia by @quemarlajaula (“burn the cage” in Spanish):
Today in Bogotá, promoters of the campaign to free political prisoners in Iran held a march with posters, shouted slogans and spoke with passersby about the campaign and making some agitation stops. The march started at the National Pedagogical University and ended at the National University. [See the January 29 post for more photos and the original Spanish.]
Colombia: International Festival of the Oppressed Sends Love to Toomaj
Organized by IEC's sister campaign, Quemar La Jaula
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)
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!
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.
After reading this report, the Burn the Cage/Free the Birds movement in Europe sent them this letter: "With great joy and full of hope".
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.
Colombia: "The Eyes of the World are on Iran"
Letter: Internationalist March in Bogotá
The IEC received this statement in Spanish on Jan 9. The English translation below is by volunteers. The letter was also published by supporters in Turkish, French, and Russian.
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.
More Actions in Colombia (by date)
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.
"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."
Conference in Medellin demands Freedom for Toomaj
"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."
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
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).