Leila Hosseinzadeh, a prominent 31-year-old Iranian student activist and anthropology graduate at the University of Tehran, has been expelled from the university and denied access to her academic records. Her expulsion comes amidst a series of legal battles and ongoing persecution by the Iranian regime, highlighting the crackdown on academic freedom and dissent in Iran.
Unexpected Expulsion and Academic Restrictions
Hosseinzadeh announced on social media that she had been unexpectedly barred from continuing her graduate studies despite defending her thesis. Additionally, she revealed that she was retroactively expelled from her undergraduate program, five years after completing it. The University of Tehran, located in the capital city, has blocked her access to its educational portal and all her academic documents, leaving her in a state of limbo. She described the university’s actions as inconsistent and lacking transparency.
A History of Persecution
Leila Hosseinzadeh has faced numerous legal cases over the years due to her activism. In November 2024, she reported being sentenced to prison time in absentia by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The charges included appearing in public without a hijab and “propaganda against the state.”
In September, she announced that a prior five-year prison sentence from a 2019 case had been commuted to a fine of 100 million tomans (approximately $2,000) after the Legal Medicine Organization confirmed her inability to endure imprisonment due to medical reasons. This case was officially closed following the payment of the fine.
Previous Arrests and Sentences
Leila Hosseinzadeh was first arrested during the nationwide protests of December 2017. Detained for 16 days, she was released on bail on January 18, 2018.
In 2019, Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court sentenced her to 30 months in prison for “assembly and collusion against national security” and an additional year for “propaganda against the state.” She was also banned from leaving the country for two years as part of her supplementary punishment.
Her participation in a birthday celebration for Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, a jailed Gonabadi dervish, and the singing of a protest song were cited as evidence for her charges. Hosseinzadeh began serving her sentence on July 28, 2019, but was later released under a judiciary directive due to her inability to tolerate imprisonment.
Renewed Legal Challenges
In March 2021, Hosseinzadeh faced new charges stemming from her earlier participation in Moghadam’s birthday celebration. Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced her to five years in prison and a two-year ban from online activities for “assembly and collusion to act against national security.” This sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court in December 2021.
Leila Hosseinzadeh was arrested on December 7, 2021, while visiting Shiraz, the capital of Fars Province in southern Iran. She was transferred to the notorious Adelabad Prison of Shiraz on December 23, 2021. Ten days later, she was released on bail because she could not endure prison conditions. However, on January 8, 2022, she was summoned again by the Evin Courthouse to serve her sentence.
Hosseinzadeh was again arrested in August 2022 outside her home in Tehran. According to witnesses, she was violently detained by security forces. She was released on bail from Evin Prison on January 9, 2023.
Leila Hosseinzadeh’s case underscores the Iranian regime’s continued suppression of student activists and dissidents. Her expulsion from the University of Tehran and repeated legal persecution highlight the regime’s efforts to stifle dissent, even within academic institutions. Human rights advocates emphasize the need for international attention and action to support individuals like Leila Hosseinzadeh, who face systemic repression for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
