On Sunday, July 12, the Telegram channel “Al-Zahra Twitter” published a detailed report exposing an intensification of illegal crackdowns against students at Al-Zahra University. The report noted that these measures have escalated “illegally” under the direct orders of the university’s chancellor, Zahra Nazem Bokayee.
According to the report, nearly 100 students have been barred from entering the campus. Following months of silence and case-building during and after the days of war, these students are now facing heavy sentences, including academic suspension and outright expulsion.
The report described the processing of these cases as “opaque,” confirming that Al-Zahra University authorities not only fail to officially notify students of their campus bans and disciplinary committee summonses, but also refuse to formally issue the final verdicts after defence hearings have concluded.
By interviewing two students from universities in Tehran, this report takes a look at the current conditions faced by students in the Iranian capital’s academic institutions.
“Rana” is a senior graphic design student at Al-Zahra University. Confirming the details of the student suppression report, she says: “Almost all of my classmates receive threatening No Caller ID phone calls. The callers never identify themselves. I don’t even know if the call I received was from the disciplinary committee, university security (Harasat), or an intelligence agency. They simply read out my first and last name, student ID number, major, and enrolment year. When I confirmed the details, they told me I had to go to the Harasat office to sign a commitment letter, warning that if I refused, I would be suspended for a semester.”
