Islamic Regime instructed universities on how to suppress 2023 staff, student protests - report

What Happened

Iran's Science, Research, and Technology Ministry sent instructions to heads of universities, higher education institutes, and research institutes demanding a harsh response to the September 2023 protests, which broke out on the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in custody. In a letter obtained by the student-run Amirkabir NewsLetter, Ebrahim Hosseini, then-director general of the Office for Coordinating Administrative Misconduct Committees for Employees and Faculty Members, wrote that 'rioting must come with a cost' and that a passive stance would embolden rioters. The letter ordered institutions to follow directives issued by Iran's Supreme National Security Council, including the suppression of demonstrations, and urgently prepare reports on violations. The protests erupted a year after Amini was killed by security forces for not wearing her head covering properly; her father, Amjad Amini, was briefly arrested on the anniversary, and security forces surrounded the family home to prevent a graveside ceremony, sparking further outrage. The 2022 Women, Life, Freedom demonstrations resulted in more than 500 deaths, including 71 minors, according to human rights groups.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The leaked directive reveals systematic, top-down coordination of protest suppression by Iran's state apparatus, linking bureaucratic administrative procedures with national security orders. It illustrates how the regime extends its crackdown on dissent into academic institutions, reinforcing a climate of repression following the 2022 nationwide uprising. The documentation provides concrete evidence of state agents explicitly calling for a non-passive, punitive approach to demonstrations, which human rights monitors may use to assess compliance with international standards.

Watch For

Further disclosures of internal government directives orchestrating protest responses; implementation reports from universities on disciplinary measures; whether President Pezeshkian's administration continues or alters such security-driven policies in higher education; and potential citations by the UN, human rights organizations, or Western governments in assessments of Iran's domestic repression.