Continued Suppression of Students in Iran; Attacks Under the Pretext of 'Hijab' and Issuance of Bans on Education and Exile

Reports indicate the ongoing suppression and pressure on students at various universities in Iran. The 'Independent Progressive Student Organization' reported on its social media pages that on November 8, a female student at the Soohanak branch of Azad University was attacked by security for not adhering to the mandatory hijab. According to the report, after being pushed by security personnel, the student fell ill and was taken to the hospital. The Telegram channel of the 'Independent Progressive Student Organization' confirmed this report, but Voice of America was unable to independently verify it. The National Student Guild also reported the temporary suspension of a couple of students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences and their exile to Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. According to this report, Matheera Gouni was sentenced to 24 months of educational ban, 12 months of which is enforceable, while Mehdi Hadi Zadeh was sentenced to two terms of educational ban (one enforceable term and one suspended term). In another development, several students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences in Qom faced severe penalties for holding a mixed-gender party. According to Iranian media, these students, accused of 'promoting permissiveness' and 'spreading immorality' on social media and organizing a mixed party, faced bans from education ranging from one to four academic semesters. The secretary of the university's disciplinary committee claimed without providing any evidence that 'some depraved currents' engage the youth's minds with 'corruption and inappropriate behavior' and stated that social media, 'with public accessibility,' constitutes a public space. Meanwhile, the Telegram channel of the 'National Student Guild' published a video of a physical attack and insulting behavior by Gholamreza Jamshidiha, the head of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Tehran University, towards students, in which he referred to the faculty as a 'brothel' and called a female student a 'whore,' threatening her with expulsion. The 'National Student Guild' reported that after the 'resistance' of the students, the confiscated student ID of that student was returned, and the university's security stated that they would review the footage from the surveillance cameras to 'address the insulting behavior of the faculty head.' Pressure on students, suppression, and harassment, especially of female students, have intensified following the nationwide protests of 'Women, Life, Freedom,' with many students being arrested or suspended, and professors who supported them facing similar fates. The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed on September 25, 2023, that 'enemies' consider the university as 'the focal point of all their efforts' to 'distort minds, capture hearts, dominate the space of thought and beliefs of our youth.' Students and professors from over 120 universities in Iran, during the nationwide protests of 2022, declared their support for the protesting people and called for the 'overthrow' and complete removal of the Islamic Republic in Iran. Science magazine: The scientific outlook of Iran is bleak; Saeed Ghavami: The result of the lack of meritocracy. Suspension of a medical university professor from teaching due to 'signing' several statements. Widespread disqualification of students in elections for scientific associations at Beheshti University. Alzahra University professor after 'expulsion': Do not let students think that darkness has no end. A Ferdowsi University student was expelled after 'refusing to confess to his charges.'