Students Sit in Protest Against Appointment of New Cultural Deputy Director at Iran University of Science and Technology
A group of students at Iran University of Science and Technology protested the appointment of a new head of the Cultural Deputy of the university, calling for his dismissal. They say the new official is one of the supporters of filing “legal cases” against students.
The appointment of the new head of the Cultural Deputy at Iran University of Science and Technology has faced student reaction. A group of these students held a sit-in on December 24, 2019 (third of Dey 1398).
According to the protesting students, Abdolmajid Arjomandi, the new head of the Cultural Deputy at Iran University of Science and Technology, signed various statements “against students” and supported “filing legal cases” against students.
Sobhan Arabshahi, secretary of the Islamic Association Rayesh of Iran University of Science and Technology students, told the student news channel Asr-e Daneshju about today’s sit-in that Mr. Arjomandi is among one hundred professors at Iran University of Science and Technology who two years ago called for filing legal cases against students who removed images of the American and Israeli flags from the university grounds.
Arabshahi, noting that the new head of the Cultural Deputy of this university “as a professor has not presented a good image of himself in any way,” added that this Persian literature professor was also “among 777 professors who published a statement against a statement of 77 reformists” regarding last November’s events in Iran.
The statement titled “Reckless Shooting,” which became known as the “Statement of 77,” was published by 77 Iranian political figures and condemned the suppression of protesters against rising gasoline prices in November. Some signatories of this statement were summoned to the judiciary, while others were arrested.
According to Asr-e Daneshju, today’s protesters at Iran University of Science and Technology include independent students, members of student organizations, the student council, and student committees who object to Arjomandi’s appointment.
Arabshahi, secretary of the Islamic Association Rayesh of Iran University of Science and Technology students, noting that this appointment showed that Zakeri, the president of Iran University of Science and Technology, “made a turn to the far right,” stated the three main demands of the protesting students as: the immediate dismissal of Arjomandi from his position as head of the Cultural Deputy, the inclusion of representatives from student councils, organizations, and committees opposed to the appointment in the selection of the Cultural Deputy, and no disciplinary proceedings against today’s protesters.
This student activist also, referring to a university professor telling the protesters that “Mr. Arjomandi promises not to impose his political views in the Cultural Deputy,” emphasized that there is no guarantee for this promise.
He meanwhile revealed the existence of “pressure from institutions such as the Leader’s office, security apparatus, and others” that interfere and oversee the appointment, dismissal, and assignment of university officials.
Arjomandi, the new head of the Cultural Deputy at Iran University of Science and Technology, previously worked as a Persian literature professor at the university. He was appointed to his new position on November 27, 2019 (27 of Aban 1398).
Source: DW
