Associated Press Report on University Crackdowns and Security Climate in Iran on the First Anniversary of Mahsa Amini's Death

As the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death during her arrest by the morality police approaches, the Associated Press has scrutinized the situation in Iran. The report states that the Iranian religious government is making significant efforts to ignore the anniversary of the nationwide protests against the mandatory hijab law and to reduce any potential for further unrest. However, the repercussions of Mahsa Amini's death continue to resonate throughout Iran, and despite increasing repression, some women are choosing to go out without hijabs. A young woman in Iran was seen in mid-March without a mandatory hijab in a park. Writings and wall paintings that are likely against the Iranian government are quickly covered up by municipal workers. Many professors have also been expelled from universities for openly supporting the protesters. The name 'Mahsa Amini' can be seen on a black stain used to erase previous slogans on a wall (Monday, September 11, Tehran). Although the Islamic Republic is trying to ease tensions with regional countries and the West, international pressure on the Iranian government remains high, with United Nations experts warning Iran about marginalizing women and girls, depriving them of freedom of expression, and increasing gender discrimination. The widespread protests following Mahsa Amini's death, which initially began over hijab issues, gradually became one of the biggest challenges for the Islamic government since the 1979 revolution. Following the crackdown by security forces, over 500 people were killed and more than 22,000 were arrested. The Islamic Republic and its leader, Ali Khamenei, have accused the West of inciting unrest without providing evidence. However, the increasing economic pressure on Iran's 80 million population has intensified the flames of protest. With the return of sanctions, the value of the Iranian currency has plummeted, and people's savings have been wiped out. The prices of food and essential items have sharply increased due to inflation caused by sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Although the official unemployment rate is reported at 8%, one in five young Iranians is unemployed. The Associated Press describes last year's protests as 'clearly the protests of youth and students,' which has led the Islamic Republic to focus its pressures on Iranian universities in recent weeks, partly due to the historical role of students in leading protests, including in 1999. The Student Guild Council has reported that in the past year, disciplinary committees have dealt with hundreds of students for participating in protests at their universities. The reformist newspaper Etemad has also reported the expulsion or suspension of at least 110 professors from universities across the country. These professors have either opposed the election of Ebrahim Raisi or supported last year's protests. One of those expelled was Ali Sharifi Zarchi, a professor of artificial intelligence and bioinformatics at Sharif University of Technology, who supported his students during last year's protests and was later interrogated by security forces. Fifteen thousand people signed a petition requesting his reinstatement at the university. Hussein Alai, a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and former Deputy Minister of Defense, and Reza Salehi Amiri, a former Minister of Culture in Hassan Rouhani's government, were also among those expelled. Hassan Rouhani, the relatively moderate former president, criticized the expulsion of professors, stating that it harms the reputation of universities and professors, which is detrimental to students, science, and the country. In contrast, Mohammad Moqimi, the president of Tehran University, defended the expulsions, citing 'ethical issues' as the reason for many of them. The hardline newspaper Kayhan also directly links the expulsions to last year's protests. However, the Associated Press quotes people on the streets saying that these reactions will worsen the situation. Shima, a 21-year-old student, says, 'They want to suppress protests by inserting their own people into the universities. But we will show our protests in ways they cannot even imagine.' A 27-year-old student named Farnaz adds, 'They are fighting windmills with wooden swords.' The government and state and semi-official media in Iran have remained silent about the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death, but activists report increased arrests and interrogations of more individuals, a rise in the number of government agents on the streets of Tehran, and more checkpoints for motorcycles. NetBlocks, a group advocating for internet rights, has also reported severe disruptions in internet access in recent days. Abroad, a protester set several tires on fire in front of the Iranian embassy in France last weekend. Multiple protests have been planned in several major cities around the world to commemorate the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death. This article is based on the Associated Press report.