Students Violently Attacked, Arrested by Security Forces as Protests in Iran Spread

Fears of Worsening Violence as Protests Spread to Over 100 Universities

http://www.hambastegi-iran.org/IMG/mp4/vid-20221002-wa0028.mp4

October 3, 2022—On Sunday night, October 2, 2022, after 15 days of nationwide protests in Iran following the death in state custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, security and police forces brutally suppressed peaceful protests by hundreds of students at the prestigious Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, beating, shooting with pellets, tear gassing, and arresting large numbers of students.

“A government that beats and attacks its own children for peacefully protesting egregious state abuses is one that has lost all connection to its people, all respect for the law, and any semblance of humanity,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

“The Islamic Republic’s brutal violence, which the authorities in Iran clearly believe they can carry out with impunity, must be internationally condemned in the strongest terms and at the highest levels of state,” Ghaemi added.

According to published reports, video clips, and witnesses, the severity of the suppression of Sharif students has been more intense than the bloody crackdown on students in 1999, and 2009, and it is feared that with the continuation of the regime’s tactics, we will witness the bloodiest repression of the Iranian student movement in the history of the Islamic Republic.

In recent days, there have been protests in more than 100 universities, along with classroom boycotts by students, and some professors. But the severity of the crackdown on Sharif University students on October 2, and the high number of arrests, indicate the scope and intensity of those protests.

CHRI condemns in the strongest terms the unlawful and violent suppression of protests in universities across Iran, including Tehran’s Sharif University of Technology, and calls on the Islamic Republic to stop the arbitrary and unlawful arrest of protesting students, release all detained protesters, and allow students to hold demonstrations without any threat or fear of arbitrary arrest or violence.

CHRI also calls on all professors, academics and their affiliated institutions around the world to condemn the Islamic Republic of Iran’s brutal violence against Iranian students and to strongly support their colleagues and students in Iran.

In addition, CHRI urges government leaders worldwide and all relevant UN officials and bodies to publicly and forcefully condemn the Islamic Republic’s egregious and unlawful violence against the students and other protesters across Iran.

What Happened at Sharif University of Technology?

Based on information received by CHRI, on Saturday, October 2nd, Sharif students started silent sit-ins in all the departmental buildings, holding signs in protest against the arrest and imprisonment of students. A large number of students also boycotted classes to demand that their fellow students be freed.

The protests continued on Sunday: Around 3:00 p.m., a gathering was held at the main entrance of the university. At the same time, a rally took place inside the campus by a group of students singing revolutionary songs and moving towards the main entrance.

In less than two hours, the number of military-security forces grew significantly in the streets around the university, including “NOPO” forces (Persian acronym for “Special State Police Force”), as well as police units, plain-clothed agents linked with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and so-called “Imam Ali security units.”

With their increased presence around the university, the security forces encircled the students. The climate became increasingly tense and most of the students who wanted to exit the campus were arrested by the security forces.

Heavy Shooting Heard, Students Trying to Leave Shot with Paintballs, Arrested

In a video released on social media Sunday evening, heavy shooting could be heard near the university’s northern entrance, known as the Energy Gate.

The University Students Trade Unions Council (USTUC), the main national students’ organization, posted this report as the events were unfolding: “The Energy Gate is surrounded by armed forces in uniforms near several nearby vans. Several university professors at the gate are trying to protect the students from being arrested. The security forces have also been deployed on Ghasemi Street overlooking the university, and according to witnesses, several students have been arrested there.”

It also reported that any student trying to leave the university was shot with paintballs and then arrested.

In the meantime, a large group of students moved towards the building housing the university’s Department of Management and Economics, but in the parking lot they were confronted by security forces on motorcycles, who attacked and fired plastic bullets. A video published by the USTUC at about 8:00 p.m. in Tehran, clearly shows the chaos as students try to escape the state’s violence.

Tasnim news agency, which is close to the Islamic Republic’s security establishment, reported around 8:30 p.m. that Science Minister Mohammad Ali Zolfigol went to Sharif University and had a conversation with officials and police forces around the university. “The Sharif University area is now calm and students are leaving the university,” the report claimed.

A clip shows Sharif students telling the minister during his visit that shotguns and tear gas were fired at them and that they are worried about people who are trapped inside the university.

The minister asks the students not to take photos and videos of the conversations and send them to foreign media because that would be “dishonorable.” In response, one of the students says: “Is it honorable to beat up the students?”

The minister responds, “By canceling classes, the students are responsible for losses to the treasury,” to which a student said: “Isn’t money being spent on students in prison too?”

Students Arrested, Covered with Bags, Beaten, Taken to Unknown Locations

Also, there were reports of the security forces raiding the university’s Dormitory No. 2, arresting students, covering them with plastic bags, beating them and taking them to unknown locations.

In the final hours of Sunday night, the student protests reached outside the university and the families of many students who were arrested, gathered in the streets, expressing their support for the students.

In a report shortly after midnight, the official Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, acknowledged the “massive gathering of people” near Sharif University and the use of tear gas by the police to disperse the people and added that “all the students left the university.”

A statement issued by Sharif’s Islamic Students Association Sunday night estimated the number of those arrested at more than 30.

“At this critical time, the Islamic Association of Sharif University Students considers it a duty to call on all to unite and ask all the students and professors of universities across the country to close their classes as a sign of solidarity with the professors and students of Sharif University,” the Association said in its statement. “To recover lost dignity, the Islamic Association will not hesitate to pay any cost.”

Meanwhile on Monday the authorities announced that all university classes will be held online until further notice.

So far, no official figures have been given on the number of arrests or injuries requiring hospitalization.

However, according to various reports, CHRI estimates that as of October 3, more than 90 students have been arrested throughout the country. One student, Hosseinali Kia, died from bullet fire during protests at Mazandaran University in northern Iran on September 26th.

Also, on September 30, Prof. Mohammad Sadegh Akhoondi, who was among 14 academics from the Medical Sciences University in Tehran who signed a letter condemning the student arrests, was taken into custody.

Student Protests Spread Across Iran

As of October 1, students in 111 universities have announced they have joined the national strike by boycotting classes.

The student protests began days after the death of Mahsa Amini, who died on September 16 following a blow to her head in police custody, after she was arrested by Iran’s “morality” police for allegedly improper hijab. The first student protest gathering was on September 18 at Tehran University’s College of Fine Arts, during which candles were lit in Amini’s memory. Other university campuses quickly joined the protest.

On September 19, a large group of students who had gathered in Tehran’s Amirkabir University, protesting Amini’s killing, and systematic repression in the country, were attacked by Basij militia forces. On the same day, many more universities in Tehran saw student protests: Alzahra, Shahid Beheshti, Allameh Tabataba’i, as well as the Art University. In addition, students at Isfahan University started their demonstrations.

By September 20, student demonstrations spread to many universities nationwide, notably in Yazd and Tabriz.

With the continuation of massive popular protests and participation of a large number of universities, violent state suppression of the protests began, resulting in an unprecedented number of student arrests.

On September 21, after holding a protest rally in Tehran University, 30 students were arrested as they were leaving the campus, followed by arrests at other universities, carried out by the security forces, who raided the homes of students.

On September 24, the USTUC reported that officers fired pellets during a student gathering at Tehran University. Officers initially blocked the university’s gate at 16 Azar Street to prevent students from entering and then brutally attacked with batons, arresting about 30 to 40 students and putting them into six vans.

On the same day, Sharif students held a large rally in the university grounds and marched to the main gate, and were confronted with a large number of Basij forces trying to disrupt the gathering and record images of the protesters. At the end of the rally, when the students were about to leave the university, they were attacked by the security forces and a number were arrested.

As the arrests intensified, on September 26, a Twitter storm started in support of the arrested students, followed by more universities announcing that they are joining nationwide student strikes.

Over 200 Professors Across Iran Condemn the Arrest of Students

On September 29th, more than 200 university professors strongly condemned the widespread arrest of students and warned that holding classes was impossible:

They said in their statement: “While inviting all our colleagues to express their opinions and take a stand in defense of struggles against tyranny, in seeking justice and freedom, we consider it necessary to act on our social responsibility toward our best university students [in detention]. Therefore, given the current inflamed climate in the universities and the rightful concerns of classmates, parents and professors about the fate of those arrested… we are extremely worried about their health and fate and demand their release and return to class as soon as possible. Otherwise, the inflamed climate and anxiety will continue on campuses and normality will not return to the universities.”

The confirmed names of students arrested so far are as follows:

University of Tehran: Bardia Shakouri-Fard, economics; Mohammad Nouri, economics; Kamyar Sharifi, social planning; Vahid Farahani, social sciences; Azin Saeidi-Nasab, environmental sciences; Sahand Mortazavi, chemical engineering; Majid Emamverdi, law; Shiva Mousazadeh, literature; Mohammad Gholamzadeh, sociology; Soroush Ahmadi, philosophy; Aminsalar Salajegheh, philosophy; Benyamin Moghadasi, industrial engineering; Nima Soltan, arts; Ramin Kiani, international relations; Mehdi Kouhnavard, agriculture; Amirhossein Ghorbanzadeh, physical education; Reza Kianipour, medical sciences; Roham Davoudi, mining engineering; Ali Hedayativardi, microbiology; Sara Naderi, economics; Maedeh Amirsiafi, economics; Ali Shorvazi, mathematics; Ali Daei Nasseri, social sciences; Alborz Nezami, economics; Ali Mansouri; Parviz Jangal, foreign languages; Mehdi Abolghasembeigi, polymer sciences; Mostafa Madani, multimedia arts.

Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran): Armin Jalali Roshan, computer engineering.

Allameh Tabatabai University (Tehran): Behrouz Shirbeighi, sociology; Farhad Shoja Heydari, social work; Zahra Moini, political science; Morteza Ghanbari, psychology; Shahu Bayazidi, philosophy; Mohammad Hossein Shoaie, political science; Ali Hashemian, social sciences; Amin Tohidi; Mehrdad Arandan.

Tehran University of Teacher Training (Tarbiat Modares): Zahra Koshkaki; Elmira Bahmani, sociology; Ahmed Pirouznia, literature; Mohsen Amiri, political geography.

Islamic Azad University (Tehran): Mehdi Bagherzadeh, film; Pedram Moini, political sociology; Shahriar Shams, management; Sadra Salimjou, fisheries.

Tehran Sharif University of Technology: Javad Shaker; Mohammadreza Lotfalizadeh; Mohammad Hossein Noorian; Nima Azar.

Shahid Beheshti University (Tehran): Yousef Teymouri, sociology; Ramtin Movasagh; Ssetayesh Damanafshan, history; Mohammad Saleh Homayouni, pharmaceuticals; Mehrab Kamali, law (released); Shahriyar Morabbi, computer engineering.

Medical Sciences University (Tehran): Tahereh Gounehie; Hadi Alizadeh.

Islamic Revolution University (Tehran): Mohammad Reza Masoudi.

Imam Sadegh University (Tehran): Hadi Amirmohseni, business management.

Tehran University of Science and Technology: Rahi Lorakinejad; Ali Moslemi, transportation engineering.

Khajeh Nasir Toosi University (Tehran): Arad Rostamzad, mechanical engineering.

Alzahra University (Tehran): Fatemeh Rashidi, English literature; Maedeh Delbari.

Kharazmi University (Tehran): Sepideh Navabi, management; Helia Karimnejad, biology; Masoud Niazi, law; Kian Sadraei, law; Sirvan Soleimani, law; Kian Sadraie, law.

Persian Language and Literature University (Tehran): Negin Aramesh.

Soura University of Tehran: Behnam Darabi, theater.

Ivanaki University in Garmsar (Tehran province): Hasan Mohammad-Panah, law.

University of Islamic Arts (Tabriz): Ahmadreza Afshar, graphics arts; Mohsen Nikmanesh, graphic arts.

Noshirvani University of Babol: Mohammad Arab, chemistry; Maedeh Jamal Livani, electrical engineering.

Mashhad University of Medical Sciences: Alireza Saberian.

University of Kashan: Karamollah Soleimani; Alireza Ghamgosar, archeology.

Universities in Yazd: Banafsheh Kamali, Persian literature, University of Yazd; Mohammad Pardehbaf, Science and Art University; Ali Mohammad Doost-Hosseini, dental student at Sadougi University.

University of Shiraz: Reyhaneh Nasseri, physics; Mahdyar Gerami, physics; Vahid Mousavi.

Chamran University (Ahvaz): Homan Mohammadizadeh, economics.

University of Zanjan: Sepideh Ahmadkhani.

Universities in Gilan province: Adele Shibani, painting, University of Gilan; Fardin Nazari, plant medicine, University of Gilan; Mohammad Reza Rajabi, molecular biology, Islamic Azad University in Rasht.

Universities in Golestan province: Hossein Kaveh, medical sciences, Gorgan University of Medical Sciences; Salar Jahdkaran, computer engineering, Golestan University.

West Azerbaijan Province: Bavan Lotfi, painting, Oroumiyeh University.

Kermanshah Province: Shakiba Houshyar, mechanical engineering, Razi University.

Kurdistan Province: Khabat Veisi, Payam Noor University in Marivan.

https://iranhumanrights.org/2022/10/sharif-students-violently-attacked-arrested-by-security-forces-as-protests-in-iran-spread/
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