New Wave of Repression in Iranian Universities; Students Summoned Over January and March Protests

In recent weeks, the atmosphere at major Iranian universities has once again been affected by security pressures and heavy disciplinary sentences. According to reports published by media outlets such as Ilke TV, university authorities have opened dozens of new disciplinary cases citing student participation in protest gatherings in the months of January and March 1404 [1]. These actions, which intensified in early June, have led to the issuance of preliminary expulsion and suspension orders for a significant number of students.

Expulsions and Suspensions at Sharif and Tehran Universities Sharif University of Technology, which has always been a primary hub for student activities, is at the forefront of these crackdowns. Reports indicate that the university's disciplinary committee has issued expulsion orders for at least seven students [2]. These students, including names such as Reza Dalman, Fatemeh Khakpour, and Hossein Shadman, face deprivation of education on charges such as "creating chaos" and "participating in illegal gatherings." Additionally, more than 20 other students at this university have faced suspension orders ranging from one to three semesters [2][5].

A similar situation has been reported at the University of Tehran. Human rights sources have announced that at least two polymer engineering students, Amir-Mohammad Karimi and Mahyar Eftekhari, have been expelled by the disciplinary committee [4]. It is also reported that disciplinary cases have been filed for approximately 150 to 200 students at this university, who have been asked to submit their defenses in writing or via email [3][5].

Monitoring Social Media and Ideological Charges A prominent feature of the new wave of repression is the reliance on students' activities on social networks. Reports suggest that some expulsion orders were issued solely based on content published on Telegram or the social network X (formerly Twitter) [3]. In some cases, students' profile pictures were even included as evidence of a crime in disciplinary files [5]. Charges such as "insulting sanctities," "acting against Islamic rituals," and "propaganda against the regime" are among the frequent items in the notices sent to students.

Violation of Disciplinary Procedures and Fair Trial Student activists and human rights organizations have expressed concern over the processing of these cases. It is said that many of these sentences were issued in the absence of the students or without providing sufficient documentation [4]. Furthermore, reports of phone calls from unknown numbers to students' families and threats against them have been published [2]. This process, accompanied by a clear violation of the Ministry of Science's disciplinary guidelines, has been described as a tool to create an atmosphere of fear and prevent the re-emergence of protests in academic environments [3][5].

These pressures come at a time when Iranian universities have faced numerous challenges in recent months, including internet restrictions and a security atmosphere resulting from regional tensions. Observers believe that the Iranian government, by intensifying crackdowns in universities, intends to silence any critical voices before the start of the new academic year.