Motahareh Gouneh’i wrote on her personal X (formerly Twitter) account that, despite the Education Minister’s announcement that all students barred from studying have been allowed to return, she remains “starred,” and her participation in exams and university is “subject to the Ministry of Intelligence’s approval.” She also named Khashayar Sefidi and Zia Nabavi as “imprisoned students” who are still denied the right to education.
Hossein Sima’i-Sarraf, Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, told reporters today that the cases of all students who were barred from studying due to the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in 2022 had been reviewed and that “all have returned to university.” He also announced the reinstatement of “several dozen professors” who had been banned from teaching.
In response to a question about imprisoned students, the Iranian Education Minister said that pardons are subject to formal requests and legal procedures, and that he cannot submit a pardon request on anyone’s behalf.
Motahareh Gouneh’i was previously suspended and “starred” due to her student activism and criticism of the Islamic Republic and was recently sentenced to 21 months in prison.
Khashayar Sefidi, another imprisoned student, had been expelled from the University of Art for his peaceful activism prior to his arrest and was sentenced to one year of punitive imprisonment following a case fabricated by the Ministry of Intelligence. Mustafa Mohammad-Hassan and Zia Nabavi are also well-known imprisoned students currently serving their sentences.
It is clear that the Ministry of Science’s official claim that “all” students have returned is inconsistent with documented ongoing bans, suspended sentences, and the continued detention of some student activists. Judicial and security proceedings still prevent the unconditional return of a number of students.
