Iranian universities use disciplinary panels to pressure student protesters

Iranian university authorities are calling student protesters into disciplinary hearings that include clerical and security officials. These panels aim to punish students who joined anti-government demonstrations. The process often results in expulsion or a ban from future studies.

The current crackdown follows a specific timeline of unrest and conflict. In late December, a currency crash triggered a wave of demonstrations. These protests grew into the largest nationwide movement since the 1979 revolution. Security forces responded by opening fire, killing and arresting thousands of people. Smaller campus protests continued until February 28, when U.S. and Israeli airstrikes killed former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and started the war.

University measures against students paused during the initial weeks of heavy bombardment. However, hearings resumed in the summer. Last month, as universities reopened, Ahmad Alamolhoda, the supreme leader’s representative in Mashhad, warned that campus dissent was a threat to the government. He told universities to track down offending elements and prepare to deal with them.

Students describe the hearings as intimidating. Panels typically include university administrators, a representative of the supreme leader, and officials from Harasat, the campus security agency under the Intelligence Ministry. Members of the Basij volunteer militia often sit on these panels as well. One social sciences student told the Associated Press that a cleric and an unidentified official asked him how he felt when Khamenei was killed. He said the pressure is unspeakable.

Administrators often force students to write their defenses before revealing the specific charges. In some cases, pro-government social media channels publish the personal contact details of students facing hearings. This exposure has led to death threats and harassment. A humanities student in Tehran shared screenshots of messages calling him a traitor and threatening his family after his identity was made public.

Data on the scale of the crackdowns is limited. Ali Taghipour, an exiled Iranian activist, noted that the severity of the action has increased compared to past crackdowns. The reformist newspaper Shargh reported that at least 10 students were expelled at the University of Tehran and another 10 at Amir Kabir University. At Sharif University, administrators have reviewed action against about 250 students. Farzad Rahmani, the student union president, said at least 40 have faced hearings and 10 have been expelled.

University leaders are also tightening rules on dress. On October 19, the president of the University of Tehran said female students who persist in violating headscarf rules will be referred to disciplinary hearings. Students report that campus security is stopping female classmates more frequently over their attire. One undergraduate said this widespread action makes everyone afraid of expulsion or arrest.

A student union at a Tehran university released a statement last week criticizing the threats. They argued that threatening expulsion for participating in a gathering is a sign of fear rather than strength. At Sharif University, one student was arrested from his home in April, the day he was scheduled to attend a disciplinary hearing. Students say the ongoing war makes it easier for authorities to securitize the campus environment.