Tehran University President Removed One Day After Requesting Kasra Nouri’s Release

Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi, president of Tehran University, was dismissed from his position on Tuesday, September 30, by order of the Minister of Science, Research and Technology. Mr. Nili Ahmadabadi had requested the release of Kasra Nouri, a Tehran University student, just one day before his dismissal.

Domestic media outlets have published the text of the decree by Mohammad Ali Zolfigol, Minister of Science, Research and Technology, appointing Mohammad Moqimi as acting president of Tehran University.

Mr. Moqimi is a professor of public administration at Tehran University whose resume includes serving as deputy for education and planning at the Court of Accounts, head of the supervisory and evaluation board for higher education in Qom Province, and head of the Farabi Campus of Tehran University.

According to reports from these media outlets, Zolfigol thanked Mahmoud Nili Ahmadabadi in a separate letter for his efforts during his tenure as president of Tehran University. Mr. Nili Ahmadabadi had held this position since June 2014.

The dismissed president of Tehran University had written a letter on Monday to Gholamhossein Mohseni Eje’ei, head of the judiciary, requesting a pardon or conditional release for Kasra Nouri.

On the same day, Nili Ahmadabadi stated in an interview that given the fact that Mr. Nouri has completed half of his prison sentence and the law allows for his release based on these conditions, Tehran University, at the request of the family of this imprisoned student, has placed his release request on the agenda.

Kasra Nouri, a follower of the Gonabadi Dervishes and one of the administrators of the “Majzoban Noor” website, was arrested along with hundreds of other dervishes during the Golestan Haftom incident on February 20, 2018. He was sentenced by the Tehran Revolutionary Court to 12 years imprisonment, 74 lashes, 2 years exile to “Salsabil Babajani” city, and social deprivation.

Source: Radio Farda