Students have once again begun protesting across Iran, this time in response to the country’s education policies and the changing of university entrance requirements, according to reports published by Iranian media, social media videos, and statements given by human rights groups over the past few days.
Demonstrations, which began in May but have grown significantly over the past week, have reportedly taken place in West Azarbaijan, Isfahan, Tehran, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, Khuzestan, Zanjan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Fars, Qazvin, Qom, Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Gilan, Lorestan, Mazandaran, Markazi, and Yazd provinces.
Students grow critical of Islamic regime
The student protesters have been critical of the Islamic regime’s handling of domestic duties amid the war, with many reportedly feeling that the impact of the war and the closure of academic facilities have not been taken into account when it comes to final assessments or university entrance exams.
Demonstrators are reportedly demanding that the regime cancel the fixed impact of 11th-grade GPA scores on the national university entrance exam, according to Iran International.
Students at the Shahid Sadoughi Technical University have taken particular issue with the quality of food and resources being given to students. As reported by BBC Persian, 75 students were hospitalized after eating at the university last week. A student told the site that the university’s president told students to eat at restaurants if they were unhappy about the government’s subsidized 1,300 toman meals.
Additionally, Iran’s Shargh newspaper has reported that tens of students have been suspended or expelled from university over their "student activity in cyberspace, including profile content, messages in private groups, or reposting content on social networks."
Between five and seven students at Tehran’s Sharif University have been expelled, while more than 20 students have been suspended from their studies for between one and three semesters, according to the reformist newspaper.
An additional four students from Kermanshah University were barred from entering their campus after authorities accused them of "spreading lies," "publishing images related to the university sit-in," and "protesting and inviting students to protest gatherings," according to information received by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights.
Iran's brutal suppression of protests
The universities' actions came amid a broader regime crackdown on online freedom of expression and the right to protest. Following the brutally suppressed January protests, during which tens of thousands were arrested, and human rights organizations say tens of thousands were killed by security forces, the regime imposed a nearly three-month nationwide internet blackout.
Although internet access has largely been restored following an attempt to introduce a tiered censorship system, civilians report that online content remains heavily restricted. Individuals who use circumvention tools to access blocked websites told Amnesty International that authorities threatened to charge them with espionage for entering restricted digital spaces, an offense that can carry the death penalty.
While the protests have yet to see the same violent suppression seen in January, Iran International reported that the protests have seen several violent clashes.
An unknown number of students were reportedly injured during clashes at a protest in the Yazd province, at least one person was arrested at a demonstration in Qom, and staff from the education department were said to have confronted protesters in Saveh.