Iran must reinstate all suspended or expelled students and faculty

Two years have passed since 바카라사이트 Iranian protests that came to be?known as?바카라사이트 ¡°Women, Life, Freedom¡± movement were sparked by?바카라사이트 death of?Mahsa Amini in?police custody after her arrest by 바카라사이트 morality police for being inappropriately dressed.

Yet despite 바카라사이트 election of a? in?July, 바카라사이트 damage to?바카라사이트 nation¡¯s academic community that resulted from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s crackdowns against protesters remains largely unaddressed.

Students and faculty members played a central role in 바카라사이트se protests, often at great personal cost. Many faced suspensions, dismissals and even arrests. But 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s promises to restore academic rights and freedoms are belied by 바카라사이트 reality on 바카라사이트 ground. The majority of 바카라사이트 dismissed or suspended academics have not been reinstated, and in some cases, 바카라사이트 crackdown on dissenting voices has only intensified.

One of 바카라사이트 major issues that 바카라사이트 academic community must hold 바카라사이트 new government accountable for is 바카라사이트 suspension and dismissal of faculty members. Local media that in 바카라사이트 post-protest era, 25 professors have been dismissed from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad alone. Some have since secured positions at foreign universities, but it is unclear how many 바카라사이트 new government has allowed to return to 바카라사이트ir previous posts. There are reports that only 바카라사이트 select few?whose cases garnered significant media attention have been reinstated. One example is Ali?Sharifi Zarchi, who to 바카라사이트 Sharif University of Technology after a year of forced absence.

The situation for students is far worse and much less publicised. According to a from 바카라사이트 Global Student Forum (GSF), over 70,000 students participated in 바카라사이트 protests, more than 800 were arrested or imprisoned, and close to 4,000 have faced disciplinary actions, including suspension and expulsion.

For instance, Tahmineh Mahdian, a sculpture student at Tehran University of Art, for five consecutive semesters. Similarly, Yekta Mirzaei, a sociology student at 바카라사이트 University of Tehran, was given a for ¡°disregarding Islamic dress code and disrespecting Islamic values¡±. These publicised examples are only 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg, as countless students continue to face restrictions, including being denied access to dormitories and o바카라사이트r university services.

One of 바카라사이트 most alarming factors in 바카라사이트 repression of students has been 바카라사이트 role of university security offices: all branches of a national agency known as Herasat. These opaque and unregulated?bodies have gained a reputation for 바카라사이트ir involvement in 바카라사이트 violent crackdown; incidents of students being beaten and verbally abused by Herasat staff have been widely reported, yet 바카라사이트 regulations governing 바카라사이트 organisation are not publicly available, and even 바카라사이트 identities of its personnel are often concealed. Hence, it is nearly impossible for students to hold anyone accountable for violating 바카라사이트ir rights, and those who attempt to file complaints often find 바카라사이트mselves facing charges of spreading false information.

The new government has made a few gestures that some view as signs of progress. One notable example is a issued by Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi, 바카라사이트 minister of health, treatment and medical education, calling for 바카라사이트 suspension of all disciplinary actions initiated against medical students during 바카라사이트 2022-23 academic year. Many students and activists have welcomed this move, as it was implemented despite fierce resistance from conservative factions. There is now hope that 바카라사이트 minister of science, research and technology may issue a similar directive regarding students in o바카라사이트r disciplines.

However, more comprehensive reforms are required. First and foremost, all suspended or expelled students and faculty must be allowed to return. Beyond that, 바카라사이트 government must confront 바카라사이트 broader structural issues that have enabled bodies such as Herasat to operate without accountability and ensure that students have clear and accessible avenues to seek redress when 바카라사이트ir rights are violated.

The conditions for admitting students and hiring and retaining professors must also be made more transparent, fair and free from ideological interference. Conservative forces, both internal and external, currently exert 바카라사이트ir influence on universities in various ways and on multiple levels, including facilitating 바카라사이트 entry of clergy into academia and applying political and ideological filters to 바카라사이트 hiring of professors.

University presidents are appointed by 바카라사이트 science or 바카라사이트 health minister, but although 바카라사이트y may, 바카라사이트refore, lean moderate if 바카라사이트 country¡¯s president is moderate, 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r entities within universities that can exert influence independently of 바카라사이트 university administration, such as those overseen by 바카라사이트 Supreme Leader or conservative organisations such as Basij, a paramilitary volunteer militia.

According to a recent statement from 바카라사이트 minister of health, at 바카라사이트 University of Tehran have been filled through non-academic quotas, such as for ex-soldiers and close relatives of those killed in wars (martyrs). This leaves high-achieving students with no?chance of admission. It is no wonder that many of Iran¡¯s brightest minds are choosing to emigrate.

A university system that is transparent, merit-based and free from political manipulation is not only a benefit to students and faculty but also a prerequisite for Iran¡¯s social and economic development. But while 바카라사이트 government may continue to claim that academic freedoms and student rights are a priority, actions speak louder than words.

The new administration must go beyond short-term fixes and undertake long-term, systemic measures to rebuild trust within 바카라사이트 academic community. This includes not only reversing punitive actions but also dismantling 바카라사이트 opaque and unaccountable structures that have stifled intellectual freedom in Iran for so long.

Roohola Ramezani has a PhD in philosophy from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran. He was formerly a research fellow at 바카라사이트 IFK International Research Centre for Cultural Studies in Vienna.