On October 1, 2022, security forces attacked nonviolent protesters at the University of Tabriz. Several students were injured and arrested.

Starting on September 17, protests spread across Iran, including at various universities, following the death-in-custody of Jina Amini (also known as Mahsa Amini) after so-called “morality police” detained her. Police and security forces have responded to the protests with violence and arrests.

On October 1, students held a protest on campus. When students attempted to move the protest off campus, security forces closed the main gate, locking students inside. Security forces reportedly beat students and shot plastic bullets at them, injuring several. Security forces also arrested a number of students.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about violent attacks and arrests of students, and inappropriate encroachments onto campus, by state security forces, in retaliation for the peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly on campus — conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a party. State authorities have an obligation to refrain from restricting or retaliating against the peaceful exercise of such rights. Such actions undermine academic freedom and related values.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.farsnews.ir/azarbaijan-sharghi/news/14010709000758/در-دانشگاه-تبریز-چه-گذشت-روایت-میدانی-خبرنگار-فارس-از-تجمع-اعتراضی
https://www.gunaz.tv/fa/new/SH.A144ffffffrry6666-1664694318
http://www.araznews.org/fa/?p=62368
https://iran-tc.com/2022/10/02/بیانیه-جمعی-از-دانشجویان-دانشگاه-تبری/