University campuses have become a key battleground for Iranian authorities since the outbreak of the war with the US, according to a new report that documents how more than 100 students have been arrested, expelled or jailed.
Universities have sanctioned students without due process, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) claimed, expressing concerns about students being denied access to legal representation from independent lawyers. The advocacy group has also brought the treatment and health conditions of imprisoned students to the fore, highlighting how their families are receiving little or no information about their wellbeing.
“Students are being expelled without due process, imprisoned on politically motivated charges, and punished for exercising their rights to peaceful expression and assembly, while universities coordinate with security institutions to remove voices of dissent from campuses,” said Esfandiar Aban, director of research at CHRI.
“Iranian authorities are treating universities as security battlegrounds rather than places of learning”.
The ccrackdown from Iranian authorities has affected students at leading universities, including the Sharif University of Technology, the University of Tehran and the Iran University of Science and Technology, among others.
