The protest by over 1300 male and female students at the Tarbiyat-e Moalem University near Tehran continues with the security forces surrounding the campus and the authorities ignoring the dispute.
On 4 June the protest at the Tarbiyat-e Moalem [teacher training] University in Pardis Karaj, about 20km west of Tehran, entered its sixth day with estimates of between 1300 and 1500 students protesting against the sub-standard self-service canteen, the cramped dormitories, continuous harassment by the authorities, and other issues relating to the students' economic situation.
The students have repeatedly said that they do not have any political demand. Talking to a European radio service one of the students re-iterated this but added: "The truth is that the economic reasons are also related to the government's attitude." He went on to say that the way the female students were treated over the way they dressed, the shortage of welfare facilities and preventing students' events all depend on the government's outlook towards them.
Currently 60 students are on hunger strike and a number have had to be transferred to the university's infirmary - as the security forces are refusing to let them be transferred to a hospital. The students are also afraid that once in hospital then they might be taken to prison.
This protest began on the night of Thursday 29 May and has attracted the support of students at other universities. Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network condemns the way that the Iranian government and the university authorities have treated the students. We will be issuing other statements as the protest develops and mobilising support for this just dispute over very basic demands.
Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network
4 June 2008