Thousands Rally in Brussels: “Women, Life, Freedom” Echoes Across Europe
A thousand people gathered today in Brussels in a powerful display of solidarity with the people of Iran, assembling in front of the Iranian embassy to demand immediate action from EU governments to stop human rights abuses and executions in Iran. The rally brought together journalists, human rights activists, politicians, and representatives from the Jewish community in Belgium, all united in support of the Iranian population’s struggle for freedom.
Speaking at the rally, Manel Msalmi—Women’s Rights Advocate, Human Rights Advisor at the Milton Friedman Institute, Founder of the European Association for the Defense of Minorities (EADM), ISGAP researcher, and CEO of Faith & Freedom News—delivered a powerful address that captured the urgency of the moment and the moral imperative for international action.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends,
I would like to thank Prosperous Iran and particularly my friend Fahimeh for the invitation. I am really honoured and privileged today to be at this gathering to show solidarity and support to the Iranian people and particularly our sisters victims of persecution, violence and torture and call the European leaders as well as the international community to act now to end violence against the peaceful Iranian citizens who are only calling for freedom, justice and human dignity.
Ladies and gentlemen, the people of Iran have been suffering for more than 40 years now and have gone to the streets so many times calling the Iranian regime to stop arbitrary arrests and executions but in vain. Everytime, Iranian youth protests are met with violence and killings. Since 2019, protests were more and more frequent and met with more and more violence. In 2019, internet was shut down and citizens were killed by IRGC and the international community didn’t condemn or act to stop the executions and the mass murder. In 2022, Mahsa Amini was beaten and then killed by IRGC only for not covering her hair properly and again the international community didn’t act to stop these human rights violations. Executions, mass murder, kidnappings of dissidents and false accusations as well as death penalties to journalists, academics, political dissidents and cultural activists became a routine of this criminal regime.
Today, we cannot turn a blind eye on all these grave human rights violations, we cannot see our Iranian sisters beaten, arrested and murdered simply for asking for their basic rights to be able to be free and equal to their counterparts. We cannot feel free if our Iranian sisters are still imprisoned and reduced to silence by a misogynistic and criminal regime, we cannot be free if our Iranian brothers are killed every time they ask for their basic needs and rights without even caring about the consequences.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As MLK puts it “injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”—history will not forgive us if we don’t act now. The Iranian regime is a threat to peace and security in the region. The ideology spread by the proxies is a reminder that the Islamist ideology and propaganda has no frontiers. We witnessed this with the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and IRGC in Iran etc.
Belgian and French intelligence as well as the European Parliament issued a report about the threat of the Iranian regime to peace and security in Europe and beyond by destabilising European countries from within and using espionage and disinformation campaigns.
Everytime it is the same ideology used against women and minorities, they turn them into silence. It is high time we recognize the threat that this regime represents to its people, to the region and to the world. It is high time we come together to support the free and brave people of Iran to get their country back and to achieve freedom as a great nation full of wisdom and with a great history and culture that can offer peace and prosperity to the region and to the world because the brave people of Iran deserve it, because the future generations of the Middle East deserve peace and because the world will be a better place with a free Iran with free and strong women.
Free Iran
Women Life Freedom
“Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (زن، زندگی، آزادی)
Thank you.
Msalmi’s speech resonated with the hundreds assembled, reflecting decades of suffering and an unwavering hope for change. Several critical themes emerged from her powerful address:
The Iranian people have been suffering for more than 40 years, repeatedly taking to the streets to call for an end to arbitrary arrests and executions—only to be met with violence and killings each time. Since 2019, protests have become increasingly frequent and have been met with escalating violence.
In 2019, the regime shut down the internet while IRGC forces killed citizens—yet the international community failed to condemn or act to stop the executions and mass murder.
“Executions, mass murder, kidnappings of dissidents and false accusations as well as death penalties to journalists, academics, political dissidents and cultural activists became a routine of this criminal regime,” Msalmi declared in her speech. “Today, we cannot turn a blind eye on all these grave human rights violations.”
Invoking Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words, Msalmi reminded the crowd: “Injustice everywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” She warned that history will not forgive inaction at this critical moment.
“The Iranian regime is a threat to peace and security in the region,” she stated. “The ideology spread by the proxies is a reminder that the Islamist ideology and propaganda has no frontiers. We witnessed this with the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and IRGC in Iran.”
“Everytime it is the same ideology used against women and minorities, they turn them into silence,” Msalmi continued. “It is high time we recognize the threat that this regime represents to its people, to the region and to the world.”
Msalmi concluded her address with a powerful call to action: “It is high time we come together to support the free and brave people of Iran to get their country back and to achieve freedom as a great nation full of wisdom and with a great history and culture that can offer peace and prosperity to the region and to the world.”
Organizations Standing with Iran
- Belgian Friends of Israel (BFOI) — A Brussels-based NGO founded in 2019, dedicated to amplifying voices of Belgium’s supporters of peace, freedom, and democracy. Anti-racist and actively combating antisemitism while promoting democratic values for all.
- IMPAC International — International Movement for Peace and Coexistence, working to bridge communities and promote peaceful resolution of conflicts.
- European Association for the Defense of Minorities — Advocating for the rights of minority populations across Europe and beyond.
- Prosperous Iran — Organizing solidarity events and advocating for democratic change in Iran.
The rally demonstrated the growing international coalition standing with the Iranian people. Representatives from diverse communities—including the Jewish community in Belgium—came together to condemn the massive murder of civilians following uprisings and to demand accountability for human rights violations.
As the crowd dispersed from the Iranian embassy, the chants of “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” continued to echo through the streets of Brussels. The message was clear: the international community can no longer remain silent. The people of Iran deserve freedom, justice, and human dignity—and those who value these principles everywhere have a moral obligation to stand with them.
The rally in Brussels represents not just solidarity, but a call to action. It is a reminder that the struggle for freedom in Iran is not isolated—it is part of the global fight for human rights, women’s equality, and democratic governance. As Msalmi powerfully stated, “We cannot feel free if our Iranian sisters are still imprisoned and reduced to silence.”
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