Clashes during student protests at Amirkabir University
A number of students at Amirkabir University in Tehran held a rally to protest the arrests and sentences issued to some students arrested in the last three months, which escalated into a clash.
Reports and videos posted on social media indicate that the rally on Sunday, March 10, became tense with the arrival of Basij forces.
Following the clashes, the student rally ended without being allowed to read the final statement.
Ali Afshari, a former member of the Central Council of the Office for Strengthening Unity, told Bektash Khamsehpour of Radio Farda that "the escalation of the police atmosphere, summons to security institutions, the entry of the judiciary, and criticism of the government for not fulfilling its promises to prevent the security of the university environment" were the reasons for the recent rally.
Mr. Afshari added that the students are specifically demanding the release of those arrested and the cancellation of current convictions.
Mahmoud Sadeghi, a Tehran MP, has said that around fifty students have been prosecuted during the recent protests in Iran. According to Mr. Sadeghi, most of these students were not active in the protests and were arrested outside the university or in front of their homes.
In recent days, it was announced that Leila Hosseinzadeh, a student activist, has been sentenced to six years in prison and a two-year ban on leaving the country, based on initial rulings.
Source: Radio Farda
