Islamic Azad University Directive: Prevent Entry of 'Disruptive Individuals' Regarding Appearance

The head of the central disciplinary committee of Islamic Azad University emphasized in a letter the need to deal with students who do not comply with hijab regulations, calling for the prevention of entry for individuals he described as having 'disruptive behavior in terms of appearance.' According to the news outlet 'Ekhtabar,' Farzad Jahambin stated in this letter addressed to provincial heads and special units that he claims to uphold social rights and freedoms. Accordingly, he announced that 'temporarily, entry of specific and disruptive cases regarding appearance should be prevented, and the files of violators should be sent directly to the disciplinary committee.' He also emphasized that the files of those who have received warnings should also go to the disciplinary committee, and their verdicts should be issued as if they were individuals insisting on violations. University heads have also been threatened in this letter, stating that the responsibility for these matters lies with the unit head, and any negligence will be addressed. The crackdown on optional hijab in universities has intensified since the beginning of this year, with reports from the Telegram channel 'Voice of Alzahra Students' on April 22 indicating a 'more secure university environment' and the installation of 'facial recognition' cameras at the entrance and exit of Alzahra University in Tehran. The Telegram channel 'Progressive Students' also reported the sending of threatening text messages regarding mandatory hijab to students at Malayer University. Pressure on higher education institutions has increased following the nationwide protests of 2021 in Iran, leading to significant numbers of students and dozens of university professors being expelled, suspended, or forced to resign or retire, in addition to arrests, prison sentences, and academic bans. A disgraced cleric of the Islamic Republic in Germany stated that criminalizing hijab is a significant mistake. Moein Khazaeli stated that there is no law in Iran that requires the police to enforce mandatory hijab. The return of the 'murder patrol' violates women's dress freedom; a journalist recounts 'sexual assault' during detention. The continuation of the Islamic Republic's 'illegal' actions includes missile strikes abroad and harassment of women domestically. Government crackdowns on opponents of mandatory hijab have resumed; social media users express their disdain.