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.

A giant mural appeared in front of the University Hospital in Cali showing birds freed from a cage and with a bold message “Free the political prisoners from the dungeons of the Islamic Republic now!” Speeches and actions condemned U.S. imperialism, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Israeli Zionism—and desecrated their ugly flags.

This beautiful manifestation of internationalism—putting the whole world first—electrifies the hearts and minds of justice- and freedom-loving people everywhere who learn of it. It must spread worldwide, including in Iran.

These actions in Colombia began with a protest in January 2022 in front of the Iranian embassy in Bogotá, exhibits and political struggle at the International Poetry Festival in Medellín in July, and now have spread into different cities and sections of people. We wholeheartedly agree with the following comment regarding the report from comrades in Colombia about their fearless efforts at the International Poetry Festival:

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.

—Kave Milani, spokesman for Burn the Cage/Free the Birds, Europe

¡Adelante! 

**Full photo report of solidarity actions in Colombia at https://www.freeiranspoliticalprisonersnow.org/global-mvmt-news/recent-solidarity-actions-in-colombia  or @ComRevCo (twitter)