The right to education is one of the most important human rights. Typically, countries with authoritarian regimes prevent individuals and social groups from accessing education. In Iran, the right to education is only recognized to the extent that it serves the ideology of the ruling regime, not the pursuit and expression of truth. In other words, in such a system, academic subjects are only prioritized if they contribute to the reproduction of the ruling power, even if that power is an enemy of truth. In this context, individuals who strive to preserve the academic space and protect the university as a forum for societal thought, face the possibility of suspension, exile, and expulsion. This bitter outcome undermines their academic future and deprives them of their legal right to continue their education within the civil institution they belong to – the university. In the past two years, many students have attempted to make the university a platform for expressing truth. They have stood with the people and protested against the actions of the ruling regime in areas related to human

While a short period of time has passed since the establishment of the reformist government in Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian said in the inauguration session of the new Minister of Science: “Expelled students and professors must return to universities.” In response to Pezeshkian’s remarks, Kayhan newspaper on September 1, 2024, attacked the government and published an article titled “Illegal Return of Legal Expelled, Mr. Pezeshkian! With what justification?!” and accused the government of acting illegally. It is worth mentioning that most students believe that the President’s words were aimed at deceiving the public and there is no hope for the resolution of their cases in disciplinary committees. The issuance of new sentences against students in some universities can be a clear evidence of this claim.

Peace line, in order to address the issue of issuing these unjust orders, has engaged in conversations with several students who have recently received a suspension order from the university’s disciplinary committee. As requested by the interviewees, their names will remain confidential with the peace line.

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Our university is our home, not those who have taken it by force.

“Yekta” is a student studying sociology at the University of Tehran who has recently been sentenced to two semesters of academic suspension. Facing charges of “not following student regulations” and “not observing Islamic dress code,” she talks about the disciplinary committee’s proceedings: “The disciplinary committee meeting is basically an interrogation. There are a few people sitting there who are not on your side, they don’t hesitate to belittle or insult you, their goal is to destroy your character and achieve what they want. They might even try to threaten you to achieve their goals.” She adds, “They constantly ask why I am friends with certain people. They have asked for my friends’ names multiple times and questioned why I am friends with them, suggesting that I should distance myself from them.”

This student is aware of Masoud Pazhukian’s recent remarks and says, “I don’t think Mr. Pazhukian’s words will bring any change in my case and others like me; what’s done is done and cannot be undone. I hope at least from now on, students won’t be punished in this way. Last week, two students in our faculty received a heavy punishment of two terms of suspension, and this is only in one faculty of one university. We should see how the situation is in other universities.”

Yekta believes that the right to education should not be taken away from students under any circumstances: “The right to education is a right that should never be taken away from a student. Our university is our home, not those who have seized it. Both expelled students and those temporarily banned from studying should return to the university, no one should lose their right to education. Personally, I have no hope that the promises of the president will be fulfilled, as there has been no change in the overall policies of the system, and I doubt they have any serious intention to change the current situation. Perhaps the president will do a television interview to deceive the public and say that expelled students and professors should return to the university, but I don’t think this will happen. Even if it does, those who have received suspension and expulsion orders cannot make up for the lost time.”

They have already decided that we are sinners.

“Shida” is another student who is studying at the University of Tehran. In an interview with the peace line, she says: “So far, several cases have been filed against me. For my first case, I received a suspension order, in the next case, my suspension order was also implemented and alongside that, I received a new suspension order; meaning two semesters of suspension, one of which is executable and one is suspended.” She talks about her accusations: “My accusations were disrupting, causing interruption or disturbance for all student affairs and programs, not observing hijab, not observing student affairs and deliberately concealing the truth about myself. Unfortunately, in the middle of last semester, without prior notice, the deadline for requesting a review, which was 10 days from the time of receiving the order, suddenly reduced to 5 days, so many students missed the opportunity to request a review; because they didn’t know that the deadline had been reduced from 10 days to 5

This student also believes that the disciplinary committee meetings are exactly like interrogations by security institutions: “There are people sitting in the room who have already decided that you are completely guilty of the charges. Even before the meeting, they have already decided on the sentence they want to give you and the meeting is purely formal. They read the charges to you and sometimes don’t even ask if you accept them or not. No matter how much you deny the charges, they don’t believe you. Their only goal is to make you admit that you are guilty. The disciplinary committee at the university is not a place for discussion or persuasion, nor is it a place where a student is presumed innocent. According to these people, a student is guilty.” He adds: “One of the charges against me is concealing the truth about myself. The false accusation of concealing the truth comes from the fact that in the disciplinary committee meeting, I said that there is no reason, evidence, or example for the charges

This student believes that the disciplinary committee officials are trying to pit students against each other: “They try very hard to create an atmosphere of isolation and say that those we are in contact with at the university are against us and their behavior towards us is not in line with the reputation of a University of Tehran student. They assume that we are unaware, have been manipulated, and are under their influence. If you resist, they try to create a tense atmosphere to make you nervous and lose control and speak against yourself.” He adds, “In the disciplinary committee meetings, they have no valid evidence to support their accusations and they don’t even bother to provide any. Every time I asked, they never showed me any evidence. The last time I was in the disciplinary committee and asked for evidence for my accusations, they clearly stated that my accusations had been proven and they were not obligated to provide any evidence. Not only did they not provide any evidence, but they also said they were not obligated to do so

He believes about Masoud Pezeshkian’s recent talks: “Our goal as students is for all those who have been suspended or expelled to return to university unconditionally, not just some of them. As far as I remember, it was even mentioned in the talks that the cases of students should be reviewed to see if the accusations against them were true or not, and whether the sentences were fair or not. But the issue at hand is that all the accusations are baseless, unjust, and unfair, and it is not right for some to be deprived of their right to education just because they are labeled as criminals. Protesting is the right of the students and we have done what is right and should not have received a disciplinary committee ruling from the beginning for our student activities. Our expectation is for all suspended and expelled students to return and have their records cleared. That is our expectation, but I am not very optimistic about how much of it will be achieved. I hope I am

I just want to study.

“Niloufar Mirzaei” is an exiled student at Al-Zahra University who, due to an unjust ruling, has been deprived of her studies in the third semester of graphic design and exiled to Yazd University. In her own account, she says: “I just want to study. Maybe many people say there is no news in university, but studying calms me down. I just want to study.” She adds: “I contacted the university I was exiled to, they said I am not a student there. I plan to take the entrance exam again, but I don’t even know if I am considered a student now or not.”

This student, who has been in detention for about 120 days, talks about his struggles to be accepted into the art major: “My family was completely against me studying art, they wanted me to become a doctor. Against their wishes, I obtained my bachelor’s degree in fields that I had no interest in. I secretly studied for the art entrance exam and didn’t let my family know until the day of registration, because I was sure they would stop me. Finally, when I achieved a good rank in the exam, I was able to convince my family to let me enroll in the graphic design major. Now the university disciplinary committee has taken away my right to study in these fields, even though I tried my best to be accepted into them.”

The students’ narrative of suspension is a bitter story of an experience of being deprived. Those who believe that they should have the right to study at university without any conditions, are pressing their demands by addressing letters to the new Minister of Science. In part of this letter, it is stated: “In our efforts to build an independent and free university, we have faced a biased structure that responds to any voice, whether political, professional or civil, by prohibiting education and teaching, the two main pillars of our education, the student and the professor. Now, this degradation, by depriving us of the right to study, has become an obstacle to completing our student years. Just as the right to education and fair treatment is a fundamental right of every individual in the Student Rights Charter, we hope that with fair treatment and the implementation of promises made by the 14th government, conditions will be provided for the recovery of the rights of deprived students and the right to education will be restored to them.”