Iran Suspends and Expels Students Amid Crackdown on Activists
At least 155 university students in Iran have been suspended from their studies since the widespread anti-establishment protests that took place in the country last September. Additionally, two students have been expelled from universities, according to the Committee for Follow-Up on the Situation of Detainees, a human rights group focused on dissidents arrested since the protests.
The report released by the rights group on Monday, August 7th, revealed that Shahyar Shams from the Islamic Azad University and Alireza Baradaran Shoraka from Amirkabir University of Technology are among the dismissed students. These suspensions and expulsions come in the wake of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died while in the custody of the Islamic morality police on September 16, 2022. This incident sparked nationwide demonstrations led by student activists, resulting in the arrest of thousands of students by security forces.
The report also mentioned that 16 students from the University of Allameh Tabatabai have been barred from entering the institution altogether, with a combined total of 22 semesters. In addition, a previous report by the rights group on August 4th highlighted that 18 students at Tabriz Medical School faced similar penalties.
The suspensions and expulsions have been authorized by the Disciplinary Committee of Students, which was established in Iranian higher education institutions after the country’s cultural revolution in 1983. These committees work closely with the Iranian judiciary and security forces.
Student activists argue that the actual number of suspended students could be even higher, as many face pressure from both security forces and the Disciplinary Committee of Students. Students summoned by the committee are warned not to discuss their cases with the media, as doing so would result in harsher punishments.
The pressures faced by these students extend beyond security services and universities. Some students choose to hide their cases from their families to avoid burdening them with university-related problems. Others fear endangering their families due to their activism.
Meanwhile, during the same period, over 728 university students have been arrested, summoned to court, and incarcerated by Iran’s judiciary, security forces, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Among these students, 17 are currently serving prison sentences ranging from one to five years. Additionally, two students, Fatemh Gorji from Semnan University and Behzad Ghadiri from Birjand University, have been sentenced to flogging along with prison terms.
According to an Iranian journalist, the government’s increased crackdown on activists is aimed at suppressing any potential resurgence of protests as the anniversary of the 2022 anti-establishment nationwide demonstrations approaches. The authorities are spreading fear within society to reduce the scale and breadth of the protests.
It is important to note that the Iranian authorities have employed similar tactics following past uprisings in the country. The reemergence of infamous police patrols enforcing the Islamic dress code, known as Gashte Ershad, is seen as a show of power ahead of the anniversary of last year’s demonstrations.
As the Iranian government intensifies its crackdown on student activists, concerns about human rights violations and restrictions on freedom of expression continue to grow. The international community closely watches the situation in Iran, urging the government to respect the rights of its citizens and protect their freedom to peacefully protest.
