At Least 150 Graduate and Doctoral Students Marked with Stars

The newspaper 'Jameh-Farda' reported that at least 150 graduate and doctoral students have been marked with stars this October, facing a 'file deficiency message' and being deprived of admission to universities. In its issue on Thursday, December 9, citing 'an informed source' from the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology, it stated: 'In the new academic year, between 150 to 200 students at the master's and doctoral levels, after passing the exam, were unable to register due to file deficiencies and are considered star-marked.' This informed source, whose name was not mentioned by Jameh-Farda, also noted that 'some of their issues have been resolved, but a high number are still deprived of education.' The source did not mention the reasons for the star marking of this group of students. In this context, Mahmoud Sadeghi, a reformist member of parliament from Tehran and a member of the Education Commission, told Jameh-Farda that he does not have accurate and documented statistics on the star-marked students and added: 'In a meeting that the Hope faction (the reformist faction) had with Mansour Gholami (the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology), he confirmed that the number of star-marked students in the new academic year exceeds 100.' The term 'star-marked student' was introduced during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency and referred to student activists in various fields, marked in their transcripts by the National Organization for Educational Testing, leading to deprivations including the prohibition of education. The Human Rights Commission of the Office for Strengthening Unity, in collaboration with the Student News site and the Campaign for the Right to Education, reported in 2013 that over a thousand students in Iran have been deprived of education in the past eight years. Meanwhile, Hassan Rouhani, during his presidential campaign in 2013, promised to eliminate the star marking of students, reinstate them, and open up university spaces. However, a year after his election victory, Amnesty International reported that despite initial positive steps by Rouhani's government for the return of deprived students and banned professors to universities, the situation in universities, according to this human rights organization, is 'dire.' Amnesty International states that hundreds of students are deprived of education, and many of them are still in prison. According to Amnesty International, after Rouhani's presidency, several new students have also been arrested. In a meeting on Student Day, December 7, 2015, one of the representatives of student organizations addressed him, saying: 'Are you aware that students are being humiliated, insulted, and threatened for political and cultural activities in universities?' According to ILNA news agency, this student activist told the Iranian president: 'We do not see any measures from our university presidents, as today's hardliners have appeared in new clothing and are quietly cutting off freedom in universities.' Nevertheless, according to Jameh-Farda, it seems that Rouhani's government not only did not reinstate those who were star-marked during Ahmadinejad's administration but also that under his government, students with academic qualifications have been deprived of education. Two days before the publication of Jameh-Farda's report, Hassan Rouhani stated in a televised interview that universities should be given an open space, saying: 'We cannot limit universities to specific thoughts or politics... Students must engage in political and social discussions and should have more freedom of action. Currently, we should not allow political issues to create distance among students.' Meanwhile, Mahmoud Sadeghi discussed the details of the Education Commission meeting on December 7, stating: 'I raised this issue. However, Mr. Zahidi, the commission's chairman, believed that the term star-marked student is incorrect and that we do not have star-marked students.' Mr. Sadeghi added: 'I told Mr. Zahidi that we do not have an issue with the term; the concept is what matters. Regardless of the name, a number of students with academic qualifications have been deprived of education and this needs to be investigated and followed up.' Regarding what the reformist faction's proposal to the Minister of Science about star-marked students was, he said: 'During the reformist government, there was a committee consisting of the Minister of Science, Minister of Intelligence, and Minister of Interior to follow up on specific student issues, and we in the Hope faction, considering that the number of star-marked students is not small, proposed to Mr. Gholami to form that committee in the government to seriously pursue this issue.' Meanwhile, Jameh-Farda reported that some student activists stated: 'Some star-marked students have had their registration approved by signing a commitment letter, and their issues have been resolved.' Mahmoud Sadeghi also told this newspaper that he is unaware of the contents of this commitment letter and cannot make an official comment until he sees its contents, but added: 'According to the law and from a legal perspective, if this commitment letter leads to the deprivation of freedoms and civil rights of individuals, including membership in student organizations, it is illegal; even if this commitment letter is signed with the individual's consent, it has no legal value, as according to the law, depriving individuals of their rights is prohibited.' The issue of star marking students in the new academic year and the obtaining of commitment letters from some of them comes at a time when Mansour Gholami, in his program published before the parliament's vote of confidence in him, emphasized 'avoiding disciplinary actions with a political and security approach' against faculty members, staff, and students. He also mentioned that he would support the strengthening and development of professional, student, cultural, political, and social organizations.