Mahmoud Sadeghi: 549 Starred Students Have Returned to University with Commitment

Mahmoud Sadeghi, a member of parliament from Tehran, stated that in the current academic year, 27 individuals at the master's and doctoral levels have been deprived of education, while 549 have returned to university under commitment. According to ILNA news agency, Sadeghi said on Sunday, December 10, that despite efforts made this year, 12 individuals at the doctoral level and 15 at the master's level have not been allowed to study. He mentioned that through follow-ups, 'out of this year's starred students, 151 have successfully registered and continued their studies at the doctoral level, and 398 at the master's level.' He noted that the Ministry of Science is currently 'negotiating with the Ministry of Intelligence and other relevant authorities' to resolve the issues faced by these individuals. Sadeghi pointed out that the situation of starred students has improved under Hassan Rouhani's administration compared to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's. The term 'starred students,' used since 2006, refers to students who are often deprived of education due to political and ideological activities. Based on a study by a student group published by Tabnak in 2013, out of about 1,000 starred students at that time, 768 were starred during Ahmadinejad's presidency, and 250 were expelled from university. Sadeghi described the commitment required from starred students to continue their education as 'a step forward,' but also viewed it as a form of pressure and 'thought control,' which he claims is contrary to the constitution. He previously stated that even if commitment letters are signed by students with their consent, 'they have no legal value, as depriving individuals of their rights is prohibited by law.' This parliament member also deemed the deprivation of students from education without trial and solely based on the orders of intelligence and security agencies as illegal, stating that some students have been starred simply for their electoral and political activities. The newspaper Jam-e-Farda reported on December 9, citing a source in the Ministry of Science, that in the new academic year, 'between 150 to 200 students' in the bachelor's program have been added to the starred students. However, some assess the number of deprived students to be higher than the announced figures. Emadeddin Baghi, a journalist and human rights activist, noted in a recent article in Shargh newspaper that the number of starred students is greater than reported, stating: 'According to numerous inquiries we have, those who have been disqualified without any explanation after passing the exam and some who lack the energy to pursue their case are much more than this number. If officials genuinely intend to obtain a more complete statistic, there is no need for others to announce names; it is sufficient to issue a call for those facing issues in this regard to report.' Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of parliament, criticized the star system on Student Day this year in Ardabil, deeming it 'an outdated practice' and contradictory to the atmosphere of free discussion and criticism. Meanwhile, Ali Heydari, a reformist representative from Tehran, stated in an interview with Etemad newspaper about starred students that 'such an issue did not truly exist during the Pahlavi regime, and some political activists, despite their political activities and imprisonment, were able to continue their education at Iranian universities.' One of Hassan Rouhani's electoral promises was to prevent the star system for students. This year, Rouhani said at a Student Day ceremony in Sistan and Baluchestan: 'Stars belong in the sky, not in universities.' Nevertheless, student organizations have criticized what they call the securityization of university spaces and the star system for students in recent months.