On October 1, 2022, state security forces reportedly fired tear gas in an apparent attempt to disperse students participating in a protest at the University of Tehran (UT).

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, the start of in-person classes, students began a nationwide academic strike and held demonstration at higher education institutions across the country. At UT, state security forces fired tear gas at students participating in the protests.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the use of tear gas by state security forces against students’ exercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of 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. The use of force to restrict peaceful student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.ft.com/content/d9ad1249-4786-4e29-ab7e-d18973fe943e
https://www.zeitoons.com/105756
https://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Iran-Protests/ead28825a0f14d48a66b8b1f100f7bab/3/0