Tehran University Students Threatened with Arrest for Graduation Photo

Tehran’s public prosecutor demanded staff and students at Tehran University be arrested over non-observance of hijab at a graduation event, the head of the university has said.

Dr. Mohammad Moghimi, who was appointed to the top role at Tehran University, by the Minister of Science in September, made the disclosure on Tuesday while speaking at a Students Day event. “The prosecutor called,” he said, “and said the dean and the students should be arrested. But I told him we have our own investigation mechanism. I wouldn’t even defend my own father if I didn’t know what the problem was.”

During the ceremonies in November, pictures had surfaced online of a number of young women in graduation gowns and posing for souvenir photos, who did not have their hair covered. The photos caused a stir online, with some observers reading it as a deliberate act of protest.

Moghimi’s speech at the college’s Ferdowsi Hall was on the theme of “justice”. During the event, a video was played showing major social and political events in the history of the Islamic Republic; they included the downing of Flight 752 in January and this year’s protests in Khuzestan and Isfahan.

Moghimi was also asked to comment on the cases of students from Tehran University who were currently in prison. One such person is Leila Hosseinzadeh, who had taken part in a small gathering of students last year to wish happy birthday to jailed Gonabadi dervish and fellow student Mohammad Sharifi Moghaddam. She was jailed for five years in February. “We are investigating the matter,” Moghimi said.

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