No News of Freedom of Imprisoned Students

Not only does it seems that the Iran’s hardline Judiciary officials have no plans to release imprisoned students arrested and jailed since July ۱۹۹۸, but are even applying new and greater pressure on student movements and groups. Ali Afshari's six year prison term is a token of this brutal attitude towards students. Afshari was arrested on charges of promoting civil disobedience. The fact that many students have recently been summoned to courts and have been accused of acting against national security or fermenting public discontent indicates that there is an atmosphere of insecurity and fear between the government and the country’s students.

In a meeting with the Minister of Science and Technology, the head of the ultra-conservative Judiciary promised - on the surface and in public – to provide Islamic compassion and forgiveness to students. But with no action coming, i.e. no release of imprisoned students, the hope that the families of these students had in their hearts have been rapidly fading into oblivion.

s are concluding that this was just a public relations stint to reduce international pressure on Iran. New students continue to be arrested and quietly tried without a jury. Hadi Esmaielzadeh, a University Law Professor says that according to Iran's Constitution all political crimes should be reviewed in public courts in the presence of a jury. Anything else is illegal and unacceptable, according to him. But where are the ears. But while the Iranian government refuses to re

When Iran was under severe international pressure over its nuclear program and to a lesser degree over its dismal human rights record, particularly the hunger strike of investigative journalist Akbar Ganji, the head of Iran’s Judiciary branch Hashemi Shahroudi ordered imprisoned students to be released. But with the passage of several weeks and no releases, political observe
rlease its political prisoners and end its aggressive and inhuman practices, it is also paying a high price in terms of its domestic and international reputation. International Human Rights organizations, during the past five years, have focused on Iran and have also been repeatedly requesting Iranian officials to release the imprisoned students, naming many by name. Domestically and even at international human rights rallies, their names and photos are regularly displayed. So while certain officials may seem to be in favor of releasing political and particularly student prisoners, there are those who oppose it and they seem to have the upper hand in this power struggle.

Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, a lawyer for many jailed students recently said in an interview that while Iran's National Security Council and the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution had both expressly approved the notion that imprisoned students should not face trials, courts continue to bring them before judges and sentence them after a short trial.

Perhaps a Tehrani student activist puts it succinctly when he says that a glance at president Ahmadinejad’s record in his policies towards students and political prisoners, throws floodlight on the meaning of the term “kindness? that the president has been using as a cornerstone of his policies.