Continuation of arrests, pressure, and expulsions at Shiraz University

According to reports received by International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, pressure on Shiraz University students has mounted considerably over the recent days, resulting in summons, arrests, and expulsions. Shiraz University has been experiencing an atmosphere of fear and a security state. Many students are not allowed to enter the campus and trials for numerous Shiraz University students have been held over the recent days to increase the recent days’ pressure. Student activists at Shiraz University told the Campaign that the University has been shut down implicitly for next week. The students report that the shut down is taking place to prevent potential post 22 Bahman protests.

During the arrests made just before 22 Bahman (February 11, 2010), Hamdollah Namjoo, a Shiraz University student was detained. After several days of silence about him, he made a phone call to his family to inform them that he had been arrested by security forces prior to February 11, 2010. His third detention takes place while he has been barred from entering the campus for the past year. He was a lead student campaigner for Mehdi Karroubi in Fars Province and is considered a student activist and journalist at Shiraz University. He was editor of Matn student publication at Shiraz University. It should be noted that he was arrested for two weeks last year and last summer he was arrested for a month after the elections.

Abdollah Davoodian who is also a student activist involved in a university publication has been expelled from the university dormitories. Following his summons to the courts over the last years, he has been deprived from continuing his education. Several other students have also been barred from entering the campus, but their exact numbers are not known at this time.

The University’s Disciplinary Committee’s rulings have become countless. Recently, another Shiraz University activist, Ehsan Hashemi, received a ruling for two terms’ suspension which followed his deprivation from education during the last school year. He has been expelled from the University, according to verbal communications of University authorities with his family. He was arrested violently on November 4, 2009. He has been summoned to Revolutionary Courts and his arrest warrant has been issued.

Saeed Khosrow Abadi, who is a graduate Sociology student, has also faced his second one-term deprivation of education, which constitutes his expulsion from the University. Kazem Rezaei, who has been in prison since November 4, 2009 has spent more than 100 days at Shiraz’s Ministry of Information Detention Center and there is no clear information about his case.

Saeed Hosseini, another Shiraz University student who has been barred by the University Disciplinary Committee from continuing his education for two terms has also been expelled. He was arrested on November 4, 2009 along with many other students. Later, he was arrested again by Ministry of Information officers on the street.

Additionally, female students have also been summoned to the Disciplinary Committee on charges of “inappropriate dress,” and similar excuses. The students are threatened in many ways such as contacts with their families.

It is noteworthy that this is only a part of the pressure and suppression taking place at Shiraz University. Under the intimidating and fearful atmosphere created for students over the past few months, clear statistics about summons and Disciplinary Committee rulings are not available.