Expulsions, suspensions, and widespread deprivations in Sharif, Tehran, and Amirkabir Universities; tools used by campus security (Harasat) and disciplinary committees to silence the voice of protest and violate students’ right to education.
Iran human rights Society, Sunday, July 12, 2026 – While Iranian universities remain under the heavy shadow of the security atmosphere following nationwide protests, received reports indicate an unprecedented expansion of pressure and structured confrontations with students in several major universities across the country. From the issuance of expulsion verdicts at Sharif and Amirkabir Universities of Technology to mass summons at the University of Tehran and Iran University of Science and Technology, evidence shows that academic suppression has moved beyond isolated incidents and has turned into a pervasive government policy to control and silence university environments.
Information Box | Organized Suppression of Students in Iran
| Title | Information |
| Report Subject | Organized wave of suppression of students in Iranian universities |
| Time Period | February/March 2026 to June/July 2026 |
| Involved Universities | Sharif University of Technology, University of Tehran, Iran University of Science and Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, Soore University |
| Approximate Statistics | At least 352 students facing summons, suspension, or expulsion |
| Key Actions Taken | Expulsion, suspension, disciplinary case-building, summons, ban on entry, blocking of educational systems |
| Attributed Charges | Creating riots, virtual activities, propaganda, insulting the flag, insulting religious/national sanctities, student union activities |
| Involved Entities | University Security (Harasat), Disciplinary Committees, security agencies |
| Points of Criticism | Violation of the right to education, violation of fair trial standards, violation of freedom of expression, violation of privacy |
New Dimensions of the Fresh Wave of Suppression; Shocking Statistics and Figures
According to documented reports of human rights violations, the new round of targeting protesting students and union activists began in February/March 2026 and reached its peak in June and July 2026. Statistical data show that in just four major universities in Tehran (Sharif, Tehran, Science and Technology, and Beheshti), at least 352 students have faced summonses or heavy sentences of suspension and expulsion from disciplinary committees.
Security agencies and university Harasat, using tactics such as illegal phone calls, threatening text messages, and the preemptive blocking of educational and welfare portals, have completely violated the process of a fair trial.
Sharif University of Technology – Joint Statement of 53 Student Organizations and “Virtual” Expulsion Sentences
Sharif University of Technology has become one of the main epicenters for issuing heavy disciplinary sentences. Reports indicate that between 5 and 7 students at this university have received final expulsion verdicts, and more than 20 other students are facing suspension sentences of one to three semesters.
According to reports from the Student Union Council and various news agencies, students such as Fariborz Kohanzad, Parnian Khodabakhshi, Sepanta Saeedi, Hossein Shadman, Fatemeh Khakpour, Masiha Bagheri, and Ariana Kouchaki have been targeted with expulsion sentences in connection with online activities and case files related to the protests of December 2025/January 2026. Prior to this, Reza Dalman, a master’s student in computer engineering at this university, was sentenced to expulsion and an absolute four-year ban on studying in all universities across the country.
The severity of these arbitrary confrontations reached a point where, in May/June 2026, 53 student organizations, publications, and institutions at Sharif University wrote a joint letter to the university president, protesting these illegal sentences and demanding their immediate revocation. Student activists have revealed that the basis of accusations for some of these expulsion verdicts was merely messages in private Telegram groups, reposts on the X platform, or even the students’ profile pictures.
University of Tehran and Iran University of Science and Technology – Indiscriminate Summons and Baseless Allegations
The disciplinary committee of the University of Tehran has become active with unprecedented intensity, summoning nearly 200 students of this university. Students are facing vague accusations such as “creating riots and chaos,” “being the main element of illegal gatherings,” and “insulting national and religious sanctities.” Among them, Amir-Mohammad Karimi and Mahyar Eftekhari, two students admitted in the academic year of 2025–2026 majoring in polymer engineering, have received their expulsion verdicts.
Simultaneously, at the Iran University of Science and Technology, Harasat and the disciplinary committee have built cases against “more than 100 students,” putting these students at risk of suspension or expulsion. The method of notifying charges in these universities has been mainly through emails or text messages, depriving students of the opportunity to present a face-to-face and effective defense.
Amirkabir, K. N. Toosi, and Shahid Beheshti – Physical Barring and Portal Blockages
At Amirkabir University of Technology, Amir-Mohammad Sourmeh, a master’s student in business administration, was expelled by the preliminary committee under the baseless accusation of “insulting the flag.”
The situation at K. N. Toosi University of Technology has taken on a more securitized form, where the number of active cases has exceeded 22, and the two-semester suspension sentences of Alireza Jafari-Asar, Seyed-Mohammad Seyed-Aboudi, and Hossein Mohammadi have been upheld in the appeals stage. Furthermore, at least 5 students whose suspension periods had ended faced physical prevention from entering the university by Harasat and were deprived of dormitory access.
At Shahid Beheshti University, a new tool for suppression has been deployed: the educational portals of about 25 students have been completely blocked without the issuance of any official ruling or notification of charges, leaving them in absolute limbo. Also, at Soore University, case-building against 22 students has resulted in at least 4 expulsion sentences and several suspension verdicts.
Why These Actions Are a Gross Violation of Human Rights
The recent actions of the universities represent a clear contradiction to the fundamental principles of human rights and international treaties:
- Violation of the Right to Education and Academic Freedom: Depriving students of their education due to expressing opinions or participating in peaceful gatherings is a direct violation of the right to education.
- Violation of Privacy and Freedom of Expression: Relying on private Telegram messages, social media posts, and profile pictures to justify expulsions is a blatant invasion of citizens’ privacy.
- Violation of Fair Trial Principles: Issuing verdicts without holding in-person hearings, and relying on vague reports from Harasat and so-called “informed” individuals instead of legal evidence, lacks any legal legitimacy.
- Preemptive Deprivations: Blocking educational portals, cutting off welfare services, and banning entry prior to the issuance of a final verdict constitute illegal punishment before a guilt is proven.
The Dictatorship’s Dread of University Vitality
The wave of suppression in May, June, and July of 2026 demonstrates the dictatorship’s dread of the vitality of universities and its attempt to turn these academic institutions into militarized, silent environments under the control of security agencies.
Condemning these unjust sentences, the Iran human rights Society calls on all international organizations, student unions worldwide, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran to increase pressure on the Iranian government to halt this organized trend and immediately revoke the suspension and expulsion sentences of the students.
See also the below articles:
- Mostafa Imani: Writer and Actor Held in Ghezel Hesar Prison with No Information
- Aref Khoshkar: Warning Issued Over Imminent Execution of Protest Detainee
- Ghezel Hes
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