Protests Continue Over the Murder of Amir Mohammad Khalighi at Tehran University

Five days after the announcement of the murder of Amir Mohammad Khalighi, a 19-year-old student at Tehran University, due to an attack by thieves, student protests regarding this incident continue, and security officials of the Islamic Republic have yet to identify and arrest the murderer. While security officials accuse opposition groups of 'exploiting' this incident, students at Tehran University on Monday, February 29, chanted slogans against the 'Sepah security.' According to reports from the Amir Kabir student newsletter's Telegram channel, students gathered in front of the main entrance of Tehran University and shouted: 'Sepah security, you are our murderer!' Protests by students began on Friday in the university dormitory area. The protesting students demanded the formation of a fact-finding committee regarding the murder of Amir Mohammad Khalighi. They seek clarification on the details of this incident through the establishment of a 'fact-finding committee' and request Tehran University to publish its documents regarding the security arrangements around the university dormitory. Amir Mohammad Khalighi, a business management student at Tehran University, was stabbed near the university dormitory on Wednesday evening and died on Thursday morning; Tehran police described the assailants as 'two motorcycle thieves.' The newspaper Etemad published new details about Amir Mohammad Khalighi in its Tuesday issue, based on interviews with his family and relatives. Amir Mohammad's brother told the newspaper that Amir Mohammad was a fourth-semester business management student at Tehran University and was very happy on the day of the incident as it was his first day at work. The newspaper quoted the police information center stating that 'news and rumors regarding the definitive arrest of Amir Mohammad Khalighi's murderers are baseless and merely media speculation.' Meanwhile, Ali Salehi, the Tehran prosecutor, had previously stated that 'suspects in this case have been arrested and investigations are ongoing.' This incident has broader implications and has provided grounds for political and social analysts to address the performance of the Islamic Republic in controlling violence. Tehran police confirmed the death of a student near the student dormitory. Abbas Abdi, a political analyst, in a note referring to the possible death penalty for the murderer of this student, if arrested, wrote: 'What problem does execution solve? In Azar 1391, a video of a mugging on Khordmand Street was released, and the victim did not suffer physical harm. However, merely for having a knife or dagger, two young men around 20 years old were executed quickly within 50 days of the crime in Honarmandan Park to teach criminals a lesson!!' Abdi added: 'The head of the judiciary at the time proudly intervened and defended this action, which was certainly contrary to fair punishment policies. What was the result? Today we are witnessing the same situation.' According to international reports, Iran has the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population. Mohammad Taghi Azad Armaki, a sociologist and professor at Tehran University, also reacted to the murder of this student, stating that violence is also seen at the political levels of the country. He said: 'The valorization of violence can be seen these days from politics and citizen relations to this recent example. Even inappropriate political diplomacy, violent discourse, and lack of consensus can be signs of this issue; therefore, when all elements of society are intertwined with violence and violence-seeking, why should we expect a thief not to steal or kill?' According to some experts, the murder of the young student at Tehran University increases despair in Iranian society, which is grappling with a severe economic crisis.