Minister of Science: None of the Students Arrested in December Have Been Expelled

The Minister of Science rejected unverified reports regarding the expulsion of several students arrested during the December 2017 protests, stating that 'no report' of their expulsion has been referred to the Ministry of Science. His remarks refer to the arrest of dozens of students during the nationwide protests in December 2017 across more than a hundred cities in Iran, which was announced as 'preventive' detention. Parvaneh Salahshouri, head of the Women's Faction in Parliament, announced that the number of students arrested during the protests last December and afterward was 150, with judicial sentences issued for 17 of them. Mansour Gholami, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, in an interview with the IRNA news agency, denied reports circulating on social media about the expulsion of the arrested students, saying, 'It is unclear what the basis of this news is.' He added regarding the expulsion of students from universities that 'this is not the case, and in the new environment created, we do not have confrontations with students.' Mr. Gholami continued without providing details, stating, 'The new academic year has also begun, and all existing cases are being managed in advance; we are doing our work.' While several university professors, student groups, and international organizations report heavy judicial sentences for some of these students, the state news agency IRNA wrote that with the 'follow-ups' of the Minister of Science and the Supreme Leader's office in universities, 'the sentences for many of them have been mitigated.' Mostafa Rostami, head of the Ali Khamenei Foundation in universities, stated that 'with the follow-ups carried out, a significant portion of student cases is being resolved appropriately with the goodwill of senior and mid-level judicial officials.' Rostami added without detailing the cases and sentences that discussions have been held with the head of the judiciary regarding 'the issues of students who have encountered problems, and he welcomed the proposals made.' In August of this year, 68 student organizations in Iran issued a statement strongly criticizing the sentences issued against students, declaring that they would not allow 'once again the totalitarians' to target freedom. The statement noted that despite the strong protests from 63 student organizations against security measures and heavy judicial sentences against students, 'the authoritarian figures showed... the voices of students were unheard.' According to Human Rights Watch, by late July, at least eight students from Tehran and Tabriz universities had been sentenced to prison terms of up to eight years, and some other students were also banned from any political and media activities and even from participating in social media for two years. On September 5, the lawyer of Parisa Rafiei, a 21-year-old student at Tehran University, reported that the 26th branch of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her client to seven years in prison. Majid Sarsangi, the cultural deputy of the Minister of Science, also stated that the court for 25 students from Tehran University who were arrested during the nationwide protests in December has been formed, and 20 other students are awaiting trial. Judicial sentences against these students have been issued while 125 professors from various universities in Iran wrote a letter to Hassan Rouhani protesting the arrests and sentences issued for students in recent months, calling for his 'support' for the students. In recent weeks, protests have also been held against these sentences. Hassan Rouhani, during the 2013 election campaign, promised to reinstate students deprived of education to universities and to eliminate the 'security atmosphere' in universities. Nevertheless, various student groups have repeatedly protested the 'security nature' of university environments and the 'starred' status of students in recent years.