Iranians will rally in dozens of cities across Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia to honor the 1,500 protesters who were brutally killed by the regime’s repressive forces, led by the IRGC, during the November 2019 uprisings against the ruling dictatorship in Iran.

These events aim to spotlight the ongoing struggle of the Iranian people for freedom and human rights. Participants in these rallies will focus on voicing their demand for a new EU policy on Iran, which includes, among other things, an end to the current policy of appeasement and turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed against the Iranian people, including the recent wave of executions; they also call to blacklist the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), the main force behind repression in Iran, warmongering, and terrorism abroad.

They will further echo the chants of the Iranian people, such as “Down with dictatorship,” “Women, Resistance, Freedom,” and “Down with the oppressor, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader.”

In Brussels:

Location: Albertinaplein Brussel

Date and Time: Saturday 16 November 2024 / 14h00 – 16:00

Contact Person: +32 474 08 65 54

Background

The November 2019 protests were ignited by a sudden gas price hike, leading people from all sectors of society in over 190 cities to take to the streets and chant “Death to the dictator,” calling for regime change. In response, the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered a violent crackdown, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,500 protesters. Unarmed civilians were gunned down from helicopters, with reports from Mahshahr (a city in southeast Iran) indicating that over 100 individuals were massacred.

In addition to the fatalities, thousands were injured, and around 12,000 were arrested, facing torture and mistreatment. Security forces even stormed hospitals to detain the wounded and seize bodies, while an internet blackout was enforced to hide the scale of the violence. Despite this repression, the fight for freedom persists.