Summoning of 50 Student Activists to Judicial Authorities and Suspension of Seven Islamic Associations

Seventy-two Islamic student associations announced in a statement the summoning of 50 student activists to judicial authorities and the suspension of seven Islamic associations, criticizing the "pressure and restrictions" imposed on student activities by entities both inside and outside universities. The statement, published on Saturday, April 15, on the 'Ensaf News' website, also mentioned that the activities of seven Islamic associations have been suspended in recent months by oversight committees on student organizations. According to these Islamic associations, the oversight committees in universities have systematically violated the law under the pretext of prudence by "arranging speakers for events or illegal interventions in the process of organizing association programs." The statement indicated that 50 activists from Islamic associations and student publications have been summoned to judicial authorities without specifying a date. It listed 23 issues faced by Islamic associations, including "threats and summons of activists to security agencies and lack of support from universities and the ministries of science and health," "denial of permits for association programs without any explanation," "sudden cancellation of previously issued permits for programs at the last minute without explanation," "interference by various university entities, including security, in the internal affairs of associations," and "pre-publication oversight of related publications and posters." These Islamic associations called for a reshuffle of Hassan Rouhani's cabinet during the remaining period of his government and for external entities not to interfere in student activities. Previously, student organizations and some members of parliament had criticized the continued security atmosphere in universities. Ninety-two student organizations had, in a letter to the President of Iran last August, criticized the ongoing "climate of intimidation and threats" and the "security" atmosphere in Iranian universities, protesting the cancellation of student organization programs and "illegal and extralegal interventions" in their execution. In February 2016, 813 student publication activists had also requested Mr. Rouhani to issue a "decisive order" to higher education managers to prevent the "growing trend of illegal actions" against these publications. Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, had repeatedly promised during his election campaign and presidency to support the political and cultural activities of students and to work towards distancing universities from a "security atmosphere." On Tuesday, April 10, he stated in a press conference that under his government, the atmosphere in high schools and universities had become "less security-oriented." However, he also expressed that he was not "sufficiently" satisfied with the government's performance in ensuring political and cultural freedoms, noting that not all actions in this area were under the government's control. In contrast, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, has urged university administrators to seriously prevent academic centers from becoming what he calls "places for the activities of political currents." The activities of student organizations and the issuance of permits for some new organizations were among the reasons for the impeachment and dismissal of Reza Faraji Dana, the former Minister of Science, in August 2014, after which Mohammad Farhadi was introduced as the Minister of Science. Meanwhile, Mohammad Farhadi's management in the Ministry of Science has faced criticism, and some reformist members of parliament have previously criticized his "passive" responses.