A powerful demonstration in the heart of Europe demands freedom, dignity, and regime change for the Iranian people — as executions surge and the humanitarian crisis deepens under the shadow of war.
BRUSSELS — On Sunday, April 26th, 2026, the streets of Brussels echoed with chants of solidarity as thousands gathered in a major demonstration in support of the Iranian people. Two months into a devastating regional conflict following the Iranian regime’s repeated attacks on neighbouring countries and its own citizens, demonstrators demanded international action, the protection of civilian lives, and an end to what speakers described as a criminal and repressive theocracy.
- The rally brought together human rights advocates, diaspora communities, European political figures, and faith leaders united by a common call: Free Iran. Women, Life, Freedom.
↑ Scenes from the Iran solidarity demonstration in Brussels, Sunday April 26, 2026. Click any image to enlarge. | Photos: Faith & Freedom News / FFN
The Demonstration
Among the prominent voices at the rally was Manel Msalmi, Chief Executive and Founder of Faith & Freedom News, and President of the European Association for the Defense of Minorities. A leading human rights advocate and interfaith peace activist with deep expertise in the rights of religious and ethnic minorities across the MENA region and Europe, Msalmi took to the podium to outline the severity of the crisis unfolding inside Iran and its ripple effects across the globe.
The rally was organised by Mrs Fahimeh Ilghami, representative of Prosperous Iran, whose passionate address called on European citizens and leaders to listen, act, and refuse complicity through silence.
Mrs Patricia Teitelbaum, President of IMPAC, also addressed the crowd, connecting the struggle of the Iranian people to broader international security and moral obligations.
While the world is considering a ceasefire with the Iranian regime, we must not forget that this regime has not declared a ceasefire in its main war against the Iranian people.
— Fahimeh Ilghami, Organiser & Representative of Prosperous Iran
A Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Speakers drew urgent attention to the alarming humanitarian situation inside Iran. The year 2026 has seen a dramatic and harrowing rise in executions, which authorities have used as a tool of political repression in the wake of mass protests that erupted in January.
Documented Executions & Cases — Iran 2026
January 2026:
At least 100 executions recorded in a single month; some reports cite over 340 — marking the fourth consecutive month with more than 300 hangings.
Since February 28, 2026
(launch of Operation “Epic Fury”): accelerated execution of political prisoners under the banner of “national security.”
Erfan Kiani (Apr. 25):
Executed for alleged “cooperation with Israel” and participation in Isfahan protests.
Hamed Validi & Nima Shahi (Apr. 20):
Hanged for “enmity against God” and alleged cooperation with Mossad.
Abolhassan Montazer & Vahid Baniamerian (Apr. 4):
Opposition members executed after widely condemned unfair trials.
Saleh Mohammadi (Mar. 19):
A 19-year-old wrestler publicly executed in Qom, accused of killing a security guard during protests.
Kouroush Keyvani (Mar. 18):
Swedish-Iranian national executed for espionage despite diplomatic protests from Sweden.
Msalmi underscored that young people are being disproportionately targeted, as the regime fears a generation that yearns for freedom and democracy.
Iran’s Threat to Regional & European Security
Beyond its borders, Iran’s destabilising footprint is felt acutely across Europe and the wider world. Iranian-backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have triggered a significant maritime crisis, reducing container shipping by up to 80% and forcing vessels on costly detours around Africa. The consequences include soaring insurance premiums, supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressure on EU consumers, and threats to undersea internet infrastructure vital to global communications.
On April 20, 2026, U.S. federal authorities announced the arrest of Shamim Mafi, a 44-year-old Iranian national residing in Woodland Hills, California. She is accused of acting as an intermediary for the Iranian government, allegedly orchestrating contracts for combat drones — including the Mohajer-6 model — bombs, fuses, and millions of rounds of ammunition for the Sudanese Ministry of Defense. One drone contract is estimated to exceed $70 million, with Mafi reportedly receiving over $7 million in personal commissions in 2025 alone.
Iran’s regime is not merely a regional actor — it is a global arsonist, fuelling conflicts from Sudan to Yemen to Ukraine, all while suppressing its own people with executions and terror.
— Manel Msalmi, FFN Chief Executive & Human Rights Advocate
The regime’s support for Russia in both the Ukraine and Sudan crises further places it in direct opposition to European values and strategic interests. Speakers called on EU leaders to maintain and strengthen economic sanctions as a critical pressure mechanism, while robustly supporting the Iranian population in its legitimate quest for freedom.
Full Speech: Manel Msalmi
Full Address
Manel Msalmi
Chief Executive, Faith & Freedom News · President, European Association for the Defense of Minorities · Brussels, April 26, 2026
Honorable guests, dear brothers and sisters,
We gather today after almost two months of Iran war — after the regime’s several attacks on the neighboring countries and against its own people — to raise awareness on the need to act and protect the Iranian population, as well as to stand with them in their quest for freedom, dignity and regime change.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is a severe humanitarian disaster in Iran and a big crisis with regard to women, young people and minorities.
In January 2026 alone, at least 100 executions were recorded. Some sources reported more than 340 executions that month — marking the fourth consecutive month with over 300 hangings. Since the start of the US-Israeli military operation “Epic Fury” on February 28, 2026, the regime has accelerated the execution of political prisoners under the guise of national security.
Young people are targeted by a regime that is afraid of a generation yearning for freedom and democracy.
Iranian-backed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have triggered a significant maritime crisis, reducing container shipping by up to 80% and forcing vessels to reroute around Africa. Europe is directly affected by the war in Sudan, the Red Sea, and the Houthi attacks in Yemen and Bab el-Mandeb.
For all these reasons, we call on the international community and EU leaders to continue putting pressure on the regime by maintaining economic sanctions and supporting the Iranian population against this criminal regime.
Women. Life. Freedom. Free Iran.
Full Speech: Fahimeh Ilghami
Full Address
Fahimeh Ilghami
Organiser of the Rally & Representative of Prosperous Iran · Brussels, April 26, 2026
Dear compatriots, dear friends,
We are gathered here today to give voice to a cause — a voice that is being silenced.
This voice is that of millions of Iranians. Millions of men and women held hostage by a regime that imposes fear, violence, censorship. Millions of people deprived of the internet, deprived of their freedom, deprived even of the most fundamental right: the right to be heard.
These silenced voices do not disappear. They resist. They hope. They call out to us.
But today, we must have the courage to say it: this imposed silence does not come solely from the regime in Iran. It is also perpetuated elsewhere — sometimes through indifference, often through a lack of support — by certain international media outlets, particularly European ones, which do not give this tragedy the attention it deserves.
So I ask you: can we accept this? Can we look away while millions of people are silenced? Can we remain passive in the face of injustice, repression, and the erasure of an entire people? I refuse to believe it.
Today, here, together, we have a role to play. We have a responsibility: to amplify these voices, to break the silence, to declare that freedom knows no borders.
While the world is considering a ceasefire with the Iranian regime, we must not forget that this regime has not declared a ceasefire in its main war against the Iranian people.
People of Europe, this message is for you. Listen. Watch. Get informed. And above all, act. Because every word counts. Every voice counts. Every gesture counts.
Iran is ready to embrace democracy and peace. The majority of Iranians know only one alternative: Prince Reza Pahlavi. And together, we can ensure that those who are being silenced are finally heard.
Thank you.
Statement: Patricia Teitelbaum
Statement
Mrs Patricia Teitelbaum
President, IMPAC · Brussels, April 26, 2026
Ending this terrorist regime means no more proxy wars, no more nuclear blackmail, no more stolen futures for you and your children. Every person with moral conscience must stand with you — the true Iranian people.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Call to Action
The Brussels demonstration forms part of a growing wave of global advocacy demanding that international leaders move beyond rhetoric. Organisers called on the European Union to sustain and strengthen economic sanctions on the Iranian regime, support civil society and democratic opposition inside and outside Iran, and amplify the voices of women, minorities, and political prisoners who continue to face execution and torture.
As the rally drew to a close, the crowd chanted in unison — in Persian, French, and English — the words that have become the anthem of a generation: “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi. Women, Life, Freedom.”