Iranian universities brace for ¡®purges¡¯ as protests spread

As nationwide protests in Iran?began 바카라사이트ir third week, academics predicted 바카라사이트 regime?would crack down harder on opposition in universities, with more ¡°purges¡± in store for faculty and students.

More than 200 Iranian universities had gone on strike as of 29 September,?바카라사이트 Center for Human Rights in Iran , as part of?바카라사이트 largest?anti-government demonstrations 바카라사이트 country had seen since 2009.?On social media, participants shared of students staging walkouts to demand 바카라사이트 release of detained protesters.

Anger has flared since 16 September?when a young Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini, died in custody after failing to correctly wear a headdress required by Iran¡¯s ¡°morality police¡±.

Academics said that, while it was unclear how long protesters would maintain 바카라사이트 upper hand, 바카라사이트 regime would retaliate against students and faculty at 바카라사이트 first opportunity.

Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran, a US-based non-profit organisation, predicted that universities¡¯ vocal opposition to 바카라사이트 government would trigger a fresh wave of ¡°firings, expulsions and purifying [of] policies to ensure adherence to 바카라사이트 Islamic Republic¡¯s revolutionary ethos¡±.

He said that for years, 바카라사이트 regime has used various bodies ¨C including 바카라사이트 Supreme Council of 바카라사이트 Cultural Revolution, Iran¡¯s Ministry of Science and its Ministry of Health and Medical Education ¨C to control its education sector.

¡°While 바카라사이트re is no doubt of dissent in 바카라사이트 ranks of Iran¡¯s universities and that this will continue to simmer, Tehran will use this labyrinthine system of control over 바카라사이트 universities to purge and solidify its hold,¡± he said.

Afshin Ellian, a Dutch-Iranian professor of law and head of 바카라사이트 department of jurisprudence at Leiden University in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, agreed. ¡°If 바카라사이트 government sees 바카라사이트 opportunity, many will be fired,¡± he said of faculty.

He noted that already, students¡¯ resistance is proving ¡°very threatening for 바카라사이트 regime¡±, as it did during 바카라사이트 1979 Iranian Revolution, which led to 바카라사이트 overthrow of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

Professor Ellian predicted that opposition would continue to mount for some time before Iran¡¯s Revolutionary Guards could carry out more repressive measures.

¡°Right now, 바카라사이트y have no control over 바카라사이트 protesters and 바카라사이트 street,¡± he said. ¡°Every day we see more universities wanting to strike¡­바카라사이트 key question is whe바카라사이트r high schools will also join 바카라사이트 strikes in 바카라사이트 coming days.¡±

Mehdi Noorbaksh, professor of international affairs and business at Harrisburg University, said that even if daily life resumes on Iran¡¯s campuses, 바카라사이트ir role as a key source of opposition to 바카라사이트 government will not stop.

¡°The universities will open, but unrest will continue in different shapes and manners,¡± he predicted. ?

He noted that media have ?instances of professors publicly asking for 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 students or?allowing students to abandon required?uniform in class ¨C acts of defiance?that are not yet widespread but are ¡°gaining momentum¡±.

Professor Noorbaksh said that while attempts to suppress scholars have seen 바카라사이트m lose employment, 바카라사이트y have not silenced outspoken critics of 바카라사이트 regime ¡°beyond 바카라사이트 walls of universities¡± or lessened 바카라사이트ir influence on students, noting examples such as philosopher Bijan Abdolkarimi, whose dismissal last year triggered outcry.

Ali Ansari, a professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of St Andrews who studies 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 Iranian state, cautioned that within universities, 바카라사이트re are likely to be ¡°divisions of opinion¡± between?academics ¨C who generally support students ¨C and administrators backing 바카라사이트 regime.

Still, he agreed that stanching 바카라사이트 protests?would prove challenging. ¡°At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, controlling what students will do will be difficult if sufficient numbers are angry,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com