Today, July 9th, marked the eighth anniversary of the July 1999 Student uprisings in Tehran University, which led to a number killed with over a thousand arrested. Many of our arrested colleagues still remain captive in the Islamic prison cells while students like Akbar Mohammadi regretfully died under the torturous conditions. Today, students of Iran gathered in honor of the heroic student uprisings eight years ago and condemned the inhumane Islamic regime in their use of violence to silence the students’ freedom of speech, one of the most fundamental human rights.

Today’s major demonstrations were seen in front of Tehran University and Amir Kabir University where hundreds gathered denouncing dictatorship and calling for the unconditional release of all captive students. At Amir Kabir University, early morning, scores of members of the Islamic Student Society were arrested by plainclothes agents as gunfires were shot in the air in aim of dispersing the crowd.

Prior to this day, the Islamic security forces had taken repressive measures by arresting a number of Amir Kabir University students whom were seen as potential leaders and activists of this anniversary. In addition, yesterday July 8, the University’s power was shut off. Authorities claimed there were technical issues, however students believe this was a tactic in aim to prevent any potential gatherings at this site.

Alliance of Iranian Students
(http://www.daneshjooyan.org)