Ministry of Science Official: We Do Not Have Accurate Statistics on the Number of Detained Students

An official from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology announced the release of "more than 90 percent" of students detained following recent protests in Iran. Gholamreza Ghafari, the cultural and social deputy minister, stated on Wednesday that "more than 90 percent" of the detained students from recent gatherings have been released, and "we are seriously following up on the status of students who have not yet been released." Ghafari also added that "we do not have accurate statistics on the number of students in detention; however, the number of these students is certainly limited." Previously, ministry officials had announced that all detained students would be released before the start of the 96 academic year exams, but Ghafari stated that this has not been realized. According to the cultural and social deputy minister, "the exam schedule for many universities has either ended or is in its final days." He attributed this delay to the fact that "the timing and process of releasing these students are the responsibility of other institutions, and we are only following up on the preliminary steps for their release." Meanwhile, according to ISNA, Alireza Avaei, the Minister of Justice, said on Wednesday morning during a cabinet meeting that "detaining individuals brings us no pleasure," adding that "according to security officials, the number of those who have been detained during the recent events and have not yet been released is under one hundred." Another report indicates that a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly has announced the release of "most" of the detained students from Tehran University during the recent protests. Tayebeh Siawoshi tweeted that "I have been informed that out of 41 detained students from the recent events at Tehran University, 39 have been released so far." She also added that "the cases of two other detained students have been completed, and they will be released tomorrow." Following the recent street protests in over a hundred cities in Iran, dozens of students, despite not participating in the protests, were detained by the Ministry of Intelligence. According to several members of parliament, including Farid Mousavi and Mahmoud Sadeghi, judicial and security officials have stated that these students were detained for "preventive" purposes. These detentions have drawn criticism from several legal experts, including Shirin Ebadi and Nasrin Sotoudeh, who have stated that there is no law in Iran for preemptive detention before a crime occurs. Student guild councils across Iran have also described the "mass and illegal" detentions of several university students following the recent street protests as a sign of the authorities' "fear" of independent movements. Thirty-five student guild councils from universities across Iran criticized the government and all responsible institutions for taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the "widespread livelihood-based" protests to pressure "independent and guild activists throughout the country." In connection with this statement, over 1,500 students from Tehran University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences have also signed a protest statement. This statement warned that the university will remain "sensitive" to the issuance of judicial rulings and the formation of cases that lead to "any form of entrapment, deprivation, and imprisonment" for detained students. Previously, more than 50 Iranian professors from universities abroad had issued a statement protesting the detention of dozens of students and calling for their unconditional release. Utilizing reports from ISNA, ILNA, and Radio Farda.