On March 18, 2025, the Iranian Academic Association organized a powerful street exhibition in Sheffield, where residents gathered in unity to denounce human rights abuses in Iran and to sign a petition demanding urgent action from the UK government. The event focused on the escalating repression and violence targeting women, girls, and youth in Iran, particularly the alarming surge in executions and torture of prisoners detained by the Iranian regime.
Despite the cold spring weather, Sheffield’s city center witnessed a steady stream of citizens stopping by the exhibition, drawn by large banners, striking photographs, and emotionally charged displays. The exhibition presented detailed accounts of Iranian women and young people who have been imprisoned, tortured, and executed for acts of peaceful protest, dissent, or simply for seeking basic rights and freedoms.
The petition circulated at the exhibition called on the UK government to take two decisive steps: first, to formally designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, and second, to expel IRGC operatives and affiliates currently operating within the UK. Attendees were deeply moved by the stories and images on display, many expressing outrage at the scale of human rights violations occurring in Iran.
Organizers highlighted that the IRGC has been instrumental in the brutal crackdown on protesters and political prisoners, often employing torture, harassment, and execution as tools of state terror. The petition further demanded an immediate end to the torture and execution of Iranian prisoners, especially women and minors who have been disproportionately affected by recent waves of repression.
Sheffield residents showed strong support for the campaign, with many people engaging in conversations with Iranian academics and activists present at the event. Volunteers from the Iranian Academic Association provided information about the situation inside Iran, explaining how the IRGC’s actions have extended beyond Iran’s borders, posing a threat to Iranian communities abroad, including in the UK.
In addition to signing the petition, participants shared messages of solidarity and committed to raising awareness within their local networks. The exhibition was part of the broader #FreeIran2025 campaign, a global initiative seeking justice and freedom for the people of Iran and calling for international pressure on the regime.
The organizers, while appreciative of the warm reception in Sheffield, underscored that more needs to be done on the political front. They urged the British government to stand with the Iranian people by implementing targeted sanctions, increasing diplomatic pressure, and recognizing the IRGC’s destabilizing role both domestically and internationally.
The event concluded with short speeches from Iranian academics and human rights defenders, who thanked the Sheffield community for their solidarity and encouraged continued vigilance and activism. The Iranian Academic Association announced plans to organize similar exhibitions in other UK cities in the coming weeks as part of their ongoing advocacy for human rights and democratic change in Iran.