Following the arrest of Majid Tavakkoli, member of the Polytechnic University’s Islamic Students Association, and reports by state-run media outlets that he was arrested while dressed up as a woman, students across university campuses continue their anti-government protests.  

According to received reports, yesterday, in addition to universities in Tehran, public and private universities in Mashad, Qazvin, Karaj, Isfahan and Shiraz witnessed student gatherings and protests.  Yesterday’s protests were held partly in honor of arrested student activist Majid Tavakkoli, who was the vicim of lies and fabrications by websites close to the intelligence-security apparatus.

In this connection, the Polytechnic University’s Islamic Students Association released a statement noting, “The student movement is proud of not only Majud Tavakkoli, but all students detained by the dictatorship, whether in men’s or women’s clothing.”  

Majid Tavakkoli’s Speech

Majid Tavakkoli, who was arrested following an attack by Basij and security forces on the Polytechnic University campus on the Student Day, is a well-known student activist who already served a 15-month prison term for the so-called fabricated journals case, orchestrated by the student Basij and intelligence sources.  On the Student Day, he delivered a passionate speech to hundreds of Polytechnic University students, condemning the post-election violence and demanding that students and people stand up to dictatorship.  

Defending Detained Students

Student sources cite Majid Tavakkoli’s arousing speech as the main reason for his arrest and the subsequent reports by media outlets supportive of the coup.  One day after Tavakkoli’s arrest, the Fars news agency published a photograph of Tavakkoli claiming that he was arrested while attempting to flee the campus dressed up as a woman.

Widespread Arrests at Mashad University

Yesterday’s student protests was accompanied by widespread arrests across the country.  A student gathering at Mashad’s Ferdowsi University to protest the treatment of students on the Student Day ended in violence after Basij and security forces clashed with protesters and arrested at least seventy students.  

One Ferdowsi University student told Rooz that some of the seventy arrested students were released within hours, noting however that “there is no information about the whereabouts of thirteen of them who are among the university’s active students.  A large number of students have announced that they will continue their gatherings if their colleagues are not immediately released.”

Increasing Number of Students in Prison

While students in universities in Tehran, Shiraz, Isfahan and several other cities across the country are determined to continue their protests, news sources point to the large number of students arrested in the past two days.  According to police officials, more than 200 students were arrested on Student Day in Tehran alone.  No accurate count has yet been released about the number of student detainees in cities including Tabriz, Hamedan, Ahwaz, Isfahan and Karaj.