Fahimeh Soltani, Mowlud Safari, and other students were banned from continuing their education
Fahimeh Soltani, a student at Isfahan University, has been sentenced to a 2.5-term academic suspension by the university’s disciplinary committee, considering academic years.
Based on the preliminary ruling of the disciplinary committee at Isfahan University, Fahimeh Soltani has been temporarily banned from studying for 2.5 terms due to charges of “disrupting university programs,” “insulting rituals and sanctities,” “participating in protests and unrest,” failure to adhere to mandatory hijab, and “disregarding students’ dignity.”
Fahimeh Soltani, a law student at Isfahan University, was arrested by IRGC intelligence forces in Chaharbagh Abbasi, Isfahan, in connection with nationwide protests.
The indictment of Fahimeh Soltani was sent to Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Isfahan in December 2022 on charges of “inciting mass killings,” “propaganda against the regime,” insulting Khamenei, insulting Khomeini, “spreading falsehoods,” “disturbing public opinion,” “disrupting public order,” “removing the hijab,” and “rebelling against officials while on duty.”
The court proceedings regarding the charges against the individual were held on the dates of January 23 and February 6, 2023. Eventually, following the issuance of a pardon directive, the case was concluded.
Ms. Soltani was ultimately released on February 10, 2023.
Suspension of Al-Zahra University students
Mowlud Safari, a painting student at Al-Zahra University, along with several other students, faced a ban from entering the university on May 20, 2023.
The reason behind this ban was the university’s disciplinary committee suspending Mowlud Safari from education for two semesters due to her failure to comply with the compulsory hijab policy on campus. On the same day, Mowlud Safari appealed to the central disciplinary committee.
According to the law, the execution of the sentence should have been put on hold until the Central Committee heard the case. However, Mowlud Safari’s sentence was issued based on an unclear photo, and the photo’s attribution to her was also unclear. Previously, the university had stated that her suspension would be lifted if her family provided a written commitment.
To the students’ surprise, the university security prevented Mowlud Safari and several other students from entering the university without prior notice. The students were informed that they had to wait outside the university until their families arrived to pick them up. Moreover, they were denied the right to collect their belongings.
After enduring a six-hour wait, the students were only allowed to vacate the dormitory if they were accompanied by gate guards, even when they needed to collect their personal belongings.