Health Minister Says 300 Students with Disciplinary Actions Have Returned to University

The Minister of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education stated that 300 students with disciplinary actions from this ministry and the Ministry of Science have returned to university. Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi said in an interview with the state news agency IRNA on Saturday, December 1, that with the reform of the disciplinary guidelines of universities, 'the possibility of temporary registration and education for students has been provided so that their cases can be reviewed again within a certain timeframe.' The new disciplinary guidelines for students were issued at the beginning of Mehr this year for implementation to the heads of universities affiliated with the Ministry of Science and the Ministry of Health, and faced negative reactions from some supporters and media of the Islamic Republic, including the Kayhan newspaper. According to the Mehr news agency, this guideline attempts to avoid 'humiliation and insult' to students and 'any kind of investigation and inspection' into students' lives. In the continuation of his conversation with IRNA, the Health Minister stated that about 60 of these students have returned to the Ministry of Health, saying, 'Many of the rulings that had been issued previously did not go through legal procedures.' Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi did not provide an explanation regarding why these rulings did not go through legal procedures and whether there would be consequences for those who issued these rulings. The cultural and student deputy of the Ministry of Health stated last week in a press conference that 60 expelled medical students who 'have complete faith in the system and the country' have returned to universities this academic year. Masoud Habibi also announced: 'These expelled students had behaviors in an unstable environment that rulings were issued for them in the years 1401 and 1402.' Hussein Simayi Sarraf, the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, also stated on September 16 of this year that the return of detained students and professors or those with judicial cases is the responsibility of a working group of the judiciary. The Minister of Science of the Islamic Republic government also expressed doubt about the re-examination of cases by the judiciary. Three weeks after this statement, the Deputy Minister of Science also announced the review and reconsideration of some student cases and the violation of some rulings issued by disciplinary committees. Universities were a significant center of protest during the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests, and many students faced disciplinary, judicial, and security actions and were deprived of continuing their education due to their participation in protests and not adhering to mandatory hijab.