Summoning of Students Ahead of Anniversary of Protests; Student Union: It is to 'Create Terror'

As the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death and nationwide protests in Iran approaches, student news channels report the summoning and interrogation of several students from Jundi-Shapur University in Ahvaz, Amir Kabir University in Tehran, and Isfahan University of Technology by security agencies. The Iranian Student Union announced on Tuesday, August 15, based on 'received reports,' that 'at least 13 students' at Jundi-Shapur University in Ahvaz, '10 students' at Amir Kabir University in Tehran, and 'several students' at Isfahan University of Technology have received 'threatening calls and have been summoned to follow-up offices.' According to the report, some students also stated that 'after being summoned, they were interrogated and threatened for hours.' The Student Union also reported that on the eve of the anniversary of the protests following Mahsa Amini's death and the reopening of educational centers, in addition to 'summons from security and intelligence agencies' for 'threats and obtaining illegal pledges,' students have also been 'threatened and summoned' by 'disciplinary committees.' This student union has received similar reports from universities in 'Tehran, Isfahan Medical Sciences, and Ferdowsi University in Mashhad' and emphasized the 'lack of legal legitimacy of phone summonses' from security and intelligence agencies, advising students to 'act with awareness of their rights regarding these illegal summonses.' The Student Union stressed that 'these summonses are aimed at creating new cases against students and instilling fear.' In this context, Shargh newspaper reported on Tuesday that several students from Allameh, Beheshti, and Tarbiat Modares universities in Tehran have been summoned by security and judicial authorities, while simultaneously, 200 students from Bu-Ali University in Hamadan have also been barred from entering student dormitories. According to this report, 'at least 15 students from Allameh University' were summoned 'by phone' on Saturday evening by 'an unnamed security agency.' Following the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini in custody of the morality police on September 16, 2022, and the outbreak of nationwide protests, universities in Iran became major centers of gatherings, with many slogans against the Islamic Republic and its leaders being chanted. Prince Reza Pahlavi stated on Saturday evening to Voice of America that 'the street is our trench' and 'it must be maintained until the time of regime change arrives.' In recent days, the summoning, detention, and threats against civil and political activists, as well as the families of the bereaved, have increased. Atena Daemi, in response to the summoning of her sister and the threatening calls from Ministry of Intelligence officials to her mother, stated: 'Seeing the humiliation and floundering of the agents of the Islamic Republic to prevent the start of protests on the anniversary of the killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini and our other loved ones shows the power of the people.' The U.S. government has repeatedly emphasized the rights of the people of Iran, including their right to freedom of expression. Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, in response to the increased pressures on women in Iran on July 18, stated in response to a question from a Voice of America Persian reporter that the Islamic Republic has not learned from the recent protests.