Protest Gathering of Students from Various Tehran Universities

A protest gathering of students from various Tehran universities was held in a tense security atmosphere in front of Tehran University with slogans against the officials of Azad University. Simultaneously, calls have been made on social media for a gathering on Tuesday, December 31st.

This was the third consecutive day of student protest gatherings in reaction to the fatal bus accident at Azad University’s research center, in which ten people were killed and 28 others were injured, with one of them reported to be in critical condition.

SardareHosein Ashteri, the commander of the police force, warned before this gathering: “Students must know that organizing any gathering requires permission from the Ministry of Interior.”

From the evening of Sunday, December 30th, calls were circulating on social networks inviting students and people to participate in a protest gathering in front of Tehran University.

From noon on Monday, December 31st, videos from various corners of the protest gathering in front of Tehran University were published on social media.

Saham News reported contact with this gathering, but this report has not been confirmed by other sources and media so far.

In this gathering, slogans such as “The incompetent official, resign resign,” “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, we are all together,” and “Back to the enemy, face to the homeland” were chanted.

The Deputy Political and Security Official of Tehran’s governorate said in this regard that “opportunistic individuals gathered in front of Tehran University.” He added: “This gathering was illegal and of course the situation is under control.” He stated: “There are hands at work trying to create unrest.”

Social media reported the number of participants in this protest gathering as hundreds of people. It is said that groups of students from various Tehran universities, including Tehran University, Sharif Industrial University, Amirkabir University, and Iran University of Science and Technology participated in this gathering. It is said that groups of ordinary citizens joined this protest gathering in solidarity.

According to ISNA news agency, Abdolazim Rezaei put the number of gatherers at 20 to 30 and added: “These gatherings did not require permission from the governorate or the province since they were held inside the university. But today some opportunistic individuals had scattered gatherings in front of Tehran University.”

Videos published on social media show that simultaneously armed security forces were present in the compound of the University of Science and Research in northern Tehran to prevent the formation of student gatherings as in previous days.

So far, the officials of Azad University have not shown any significant reaction to the tragic bus accident and the deaths of students from the science and research center. The reactions have mostly been justifications.

Criticism has particularly been directed at Ali Akbar Velayati, the chairman of the university’s board of trustees, who has remained silent and even refrained from expressing condolences.

In this accident, nine students and also the father of one of the students who was on the bus with his daughter were killed, and 28 others are injured, but none of the university officials have apologized. The president of Azad University has only said in his conversations with journalists that responsibility for this accident lies with the former officials of Azad University.

According to ISNA, Mohammad Reza Aref, the head of the reformist faction in parliament, referring to the presence of the Azad University president in the education and research committee session, said: “The president of Azad University is to submit a report to the committee.”

Aref added: “We expect that in Azad University’s dealing with this incident, there will be no buck-passing; in any case, the current managers of this university are responsible. When they take responsibility, it must be consciously done, understanding the conditions and quickly addressing the defects.”

He reminded: “The use of non-standard and unreliable means of transportation is not justified, as apparently some of these vehicles have not had technical inspections for several years past. The technical inspection of the accident-causing bus was from the year 2012, which resulted in the occurrence of this tragic event.”

On social media, calls were published in solidarity with students of Azad University, and citizens across the country were asked to be present in university squares across the country on Tuesday, December 31st, on the occasion of the seventh day of those killed in this accident.

Source: DW