A Ferdowsi University Student Expelled After 'Refusing to Confess to His Charges'

Student sources reported the expulsion of Matin Faramarzpour, a master's student in Western philosophy at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Meanwhile, reports from the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Tehran indicate that following a confrontation with security personnel, a female student fainted and was transferred to the hospital, but her condition is unknown. According to the Telegram channel of the National Student Guild Councils, the expulsion order for Matin Faramarzpour, who had also been deprived of education for the past two semesters, was verbally communicated to him on Tuesday, October 2. The report states that after Mr. Faramarzpour refused to confess to the charges against him during a disciplinary committee meeting, his expulsion was issued. The disciplinary committee of Ferdowsi University had previously suspended this student for two semesters in the fall of 2022 on charges of 'disruption, creating delays, or disturbances for dormitory or university programs.' Details regarding the specific allegations against Matin Faramarzpour have not been released. In recent months, several students have faced academic restrictions, forced changes in their place of study, or expulsion from the university. Additionally, some students have been arrested and imprisoned on security charges. A protesting student residing in Iran had previously emphasized in an interview with Voice of America that after the end of nationwide protests, the disciplinary committee has become a tool for suppressing students, having summoned a large number of students and suspended about 600 of them. The Telegram channel of the National Student Guild Councils also reported that security personnel at the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Tehran engaged in verbal insults with a group of students on Tuesday, October 2. According to this report, the security personnel's actions caused one female student to faint and be taken to the hospital. The Telegram channel stated on Wednesday, October 3, that there is no precise information available about the current condition of this student, noting, 'This is not the first incident of security personnel misconduct in this faculty, and insulting, sexual harassment, use of vulgar language, and disturbances for students have repeatedly occurred since the beginning of the semester.' So far, official authorities have not responded to this matter. Meanwhile, Arzhang Moradpour, son of political prisoner Abdolrasoul Moradpour in Isfahan Central Prison, recently announced in a message his academic suspension and transfer from Kharazmi University to Damghan University. He stated that he has been deprived of education for four semesters due to protesting against the government. The National Student Guild Councils criticized the conditions in universities, reporting food poisoning among students at Bu Ali Sina University in Hamedan after consuming cafeteria food, with some being hospitalized. Ibrahim Nasiral-Islami, the student deputy of this university, stated on Tuesday that the poisoning of students on October 1 and 2 was due to 'environmental pollution.' He added without providing further details that this issue has been 'followed up and controlled.' This comes as the National Student Guild Councils cited the lack of oversight in food preparation and ingredients in student cafeterias as the main reason for these poisonings. On October 1, 46 students from Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, including 27 boys and 19 girls, were hospitalized due to food poisoning. Mohammad Salari, the president of this university, attributed the poisoning to 'not fully adhering to health standards' in part of the food distribution chain.