By Samnak Aghaei, Rooz Online
On the third week of the new academic year in
Iran, thousands of students from the main campus of Azad University in Tehran
held several peaceful demonstrations protesting the coup government of Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. In the demonstrations that were attacked by Basiji and
plain-clothes agents, students changed anti-government slogans protesting the
conditions prevalent in the country and in the universities, while also
insisting on their support of Mir-Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi.
Since the demonstrations, the streets leading up to the main campus were taken
over by security agents and many students were denied entry into the main campus
and its buildings.
Iran: Student Protests in
Tehran Violently Confronted
This new crackdown and suppressive
atmosphere came about when last Tuesday some two thousand students held a
demonstration which was disrupted by force by Basiji and plain clothes security
agents leading to violence. At least 10 students were reported to have been
injured in the clashes and some sources reported that at least one student had
been detained and taken away to the small office belonging to the representative
of Iran's supreme leader on the campus.
From the reports on these incidents, it appears that students began to protest
and engage in pro Mousavi and Karoubi chants when over 20 of other students who
had taken part in the post-election protests against the coup government were
called in by the university security office and the president of the
institution. Students also protested the heavy presence of security and
plainclothes agents on campuses this year following the massive post-election
protests.
On the second gathering that began on Monday Azad University students called for
the release of Dr Fiaz Zahedi, a university professor who has been in detention
since September 16, 2009. Students also vowed to hold more rallies if their
calls were not met.
On Tuesday, the two thousand students who had gathered at Azad were immediately
surrounded by Basij and plain clothes security agents who used tear gas and
pepper mint gas to disperse them. These students held placards and posters of
the leaders of Iran's Green Movement and chanted anti government slogans, and
also those against the conditions at the country's universities. They also
thanked the leader of the Etemad Melli party led by its leader Mehdi Karoubi for
his exposes of the recent crimes, particularly the rapes committed at Kahrizak
detention center. As students continued their calls, security agents first shut
the gates of the campus on the pretext that students wanted to go out and
continue their protests in the streets of the city, and then used tear gas on
the students.
Before dispersing, these students called on the students across the country to
remain active to prevent the imposed security atmosphere on some campuses to
expand to all universities.
Following these clashes, reformist leaders have raised a question at the
national level that why are Basij university students allowed to bring in tear
and peppermint gas to university campuses. These sources also said that the
recent attacks on students was the result of the announcement by the head of the
Pasdaran Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) that Basij did not need to wait for orders
from its superiors to confront student protests.
Following the post election protests, senior military leaders supporting
Ahmadinejad, which includes the IRGC, Basij and even the police, have repeatedly
threatened students with violent response should they hold any protests.
... Payvand News - 10/19/09 ... --