Minister's Apology and Dormitory Director's Resignation; Students Continue Protests

On Saturday, February 16, coinciding with another student protest against the killing of a Tehran University student by thieves, the Minister of Science apologized and the director of the student dormitory resigned. According to reports, Hossein Simayi Sarraf, the Minister of Science, apologized to the public following the incident of the death of a Tehran University student and claimed that no students were arrested during the protest on Friday night at the university campus. This claim comes as news sources reported that the protest escalated with the intervention of plainclothes agents and the arrest of several students. In this context, Amir Kabir News reported on Friday night the temporary release of four Tehran University students following an attack by plainclothes forces. Reports indicate that Tehran University students began protesting in front of the central library of Tehran University early on Saturday morning, and shortly before, the management of Tehran University dormitory was forced to accept the resignation from their position. Amir Kabir News confirmed the re-emergence of protests at Tehran University, stating that the area had become heavily secured and protesting students were chanting slogans. According to the report, after the failure of the student affairs deputy at Tehran University to end the student protests, the head of the university's security attended the gathering to disperse the students. Amir Kabir News noted that the students raised an important demand to clarify which organization the plainclothes individual who injured a student on Friday night was affiliated with. The head of the university's security refused to answer this question. Previously, reports from the Telegram channel 'United Students' indicated that one student sought refuge in the dormitory after being severely beaten and having his nose broken by security forces, claiming that all his belongings along with his phone password were stolen by them. The Progressive Students Association also reported that 'the central campus of Tehran University is under a security atmosphere, with an increased number of security personnel checking student IDs at the entrance.' Meanwhile, Masoud Pezeshkian, the head of the Islamic Republic government, tasked the Minister of Science to 'follow up on the issue of the death of the Tehran University student in the streets around the university campus.' Mohammad Reza Aref, Pezeshkian's first deputy, also issued an order for immediate follow-up on this issue to the Minister of Interior, urging him to expedite the identification of the perpetrators and prepare a report for public awareness. Analysts and political activists believe that concerns over the escalation of protests have compelled government officials to react, and they are attempting to prevent further protests by promising to address the issue. Following the death of Amir Mohammad Khalighi Darmian, a 19-year-old business management student at Tehran University, on Wednesday night, February 14, which reportedly occurred due to knife attacks by robbers in Tehran, dormitory students held protests on Thursday and Friday nights. They protested the university officials' negligence in ensuring student safety and their focus on suppression and disciplinary actions. Videos shared on social media from the student protests showed them chanting: 'Incompetent official, resign, resign,' 'One of us is gone, who will answer?' and 'Incompetent Zarei, responsible for this crime' (referring to Mohammad Ali Zarei Chahouki, the director of dormitory affairs at Tehran University). Following this, the Progressive Students Association reported that 'the regime's suppressive forces sent a large number of vehicles to the Tehran University campus, removing students from the campus and returning them to dormitories across the city.' This student organization stated: 'There is still no accurate count of the arrests and beatings of students. However, multiple reports indicate the regime's forces attacked the students.' Meanwhile, according to Amir Kabir News, students from Amir Kabir University (Polytechnic of Tehran) issued a statement expressing solidarity and support for Tehran University students and condemned the 'suppression of student protests.' Additionally, Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and human rights activist, called for public support for the students on the social media platform X, stating: 'The student cries out: What is worthless and valueless is the life of our youth. Why must we either flee or be killed? What do the so-called universities do to your sorrowful and hopeless children? If a hijab violation occurred or a few people celebrated, what uproar would ensue? Let us not leave the protesting youth alone. Let us raise their voices of protest. Let us show that we are all together.' On the other hand, the Coordination Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Associations announced on Friday, while supporting the students, that 'the extensive presence of security forces, special units, and plainclothes agents around the university is a violation of the basic rights of dear students.' The Telegram channel of the Charter of Freedom, Welfare, and Equality criticized the 'brutal assault by security, police, plainclothes agents, and university security on students,' stating: 'Any attack, beating, arrest, and pressure of any kind on students is condemned, and the responsibility for any unfortunate incidents affecting students, including the tragic and heartbreaking death of Amir Mohammad Khalighi, lies with the entire oppressive and vile regime of the Islamic Republic.'