Exclusive: A Narrative of 'Ideological Purification' in the Process of Faculty Selection; Interrogation, Arrest, and Prevention of Teaching Due to Signing a Statement Demanding the Release of Students

The examination of the program of Hossein Simayi Sarraf, the proposed Minister of 'Science, Research, and Technology' Masoud Pezeshkian, concluded today in the Islamic Consultative Assembly without any mention, either from the proposed minister or his supporters and opponents, of the critical situation regarding the expulsion of professors from universities during the nationwide protests of 'Women, Life, Freedom.' The widespread wave of expulsions and 'termination of cooperation' of university professors and higher education institutions in recent years, carried out under political and ideological pretexts, has been one of the reasons for dissatisfaction in the academic community, which Pezeshkian promised to address. During his electoral campaign and in a cultural roundtable on Islamic Republic television, Pezeshkian stated, 'I oppose any form of professor expulsion. The actions some take may be personal vendettas.' In such an atmosphere, a large number of professors and students from universities across the country have warned that the latest announcement of the employment regulations for faculty members of universities and higher education institutions by the Ministry of Science, and the mass expulsion of university professors, indicates the completion of the project of 'purifying and Islamizing universities.' The 'purification' project of universities, which intensified months before the official adoption of these regulations and since the nationwide protests of 1401, has led to the heavy security accusations against hundreds of critical professors, including thirty-two thousand adjunct professors of Islamic Azad University, prohibiting them from continuing their work. Behnaz Amani, a former professor at Islamic Azad University, who was arrested, imprisoned, and subsequently expelled from the university due to signing a statement requesting the release of students during the nationwide protests of 1401, stated in an exclusive interview with 'Voice of America' that she was initially interrogated by university security officials and was immediately arrested and transferred to Qarchak prison in Varamin. This expelled professor said that after her release and return to the university, she faced 'insulting behavior' from university officials and security, and in addition to not receiving overdue payments, no specific legal document for her expulsion was provided to her. She mentioned that even students did not know that her arrest was due to signing the statement and supporting them, and university officials told them that she was imprisoned 'due to signing a bounced check.' Amani, who claims to have taught at Islamic Azad University for eight years, responded to a question from Voice of America regarding the investigation into ideological and political beliefs during the university selection process, saying, 'When we were called for security selection, other colleagues who had this experience advised me to have no makeup and to go with full hijab. But do not wear a chador because they already know from previous investigations that you are not wearing one, and therefore if you go to the selection day with a chador, they will suspect you.' She added that she had to explain her marital status and prove that she has a fiancé and is not single. Amani emphasized that during the selection process, 'no scientific questions are asked'; instead, questions are divided into two sections: religious and political. She stated that she was forced to read the 'Leader's website' completely and to study the recent sermons of Friday prayers and religious decrees in detail before the selection. This expelled university professor, who is currently abroad and shared her account with the UN fact-finding committee in March, elaborated on the forces involved in her interrogation and arrest. Amani said, 'After signing the statement, the central security interrogated me for two hours. They immediately went to the main issue with the first question: Did you sign the statement? Why? Which individual or individuals provided you with the statement? For whom did you send it? What was the purpose of signing this statement? Do you know that the detained students insulted the regime (a direct reference to the picture of the leader on the wall)?' She referred to another part of the interrogations, stating that they wanted to associate the students with active members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization and asked, 'What is your opinion about the death of Mahsa Amini?' and claimed that 'she was a member of the Komala party and wore a suicide vest!' It is noteworthy that the Islamic Republic has never taken responsibility for the death of Mahsa Amini and has attempted to change her true narrative by creating rumors. This expelled professor further added that one day after this interrogation, she was arrested and imprisoned for two months in Qarchak prison and was not allowed to continue teaching at the university afterward. In another report published recently by the newspaper Etemad, Hossein Sarajzadeh, a sociology professor at Kharazmi University, who was forcibly retired in July this year due to signing a statement in support of students, stated, 'They were so eager to remove me that they even violated their own law. The procedure for faculty retirement is after the end of the summer semester.' Hamid Malekzadeh, a PhD graduate in political science from Tehran University and an applicant for faculty membership in the political science department of Kashan University, who has supported the nationwide protests of 1401, stated that the university officials are unwilling to implement the central council's decision and approve his membership. In the newly approved employment regulations for faculty members of universities and higher education institutions by the Ministry of Science, published on the 'Law Identification' website, having no history of membership or affiliation or support for political and non-political groups 'opposed and antagonistic to the Islamic Republic' is one of the conditions for acceptance into the faculty. Additionally, 'not engaging in activities against the Islamic Republic, participating in gatherings and riots against the Islamic Republic of Iran, or signing anti-Islamic Republic statements' is also mentioned as another condition for acceptance. Having no disciplinary record in the student 'security' committee of the institution and adhering to full coverage and hijab are other issues emphasized in this regulation. Experts believe that the Islamic Republic's approach in higher education institutions and universities is aimed at homogenizing management and educational circles to better control student protest movements. This trend has intensified following the nationwide uprising in response to the death of Mahsa Amini in the 'Guidance Patrol' detention center. Accordingly, Voice of America reported in Azar 1402 in an exclusive report on the issues of summons, suspension, expulsion, case-making, and forced exile of students and professors across Iran under the pretext of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' uprising. This report emphasized that existing evidence indicates systematic security pressures on universities, with traces of institutions such as the Ministry of Intelligence, the Intelligence Organization of the IRGC, and the Protection of the Judiciary seen in all these suppressions. The new regulations for recruiting faculty members of universities; participation in gatherings or signing protest statements hinders employment. The spokesperson for the judiciary described reactions to the case of Arzu Badri as 'media maneuvering'; Jahangir: 'The issue is not related to hijab.' The parliament states that 'two ambiguities' have been resolved; the ball of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill is once again in the Guardian Council's court.