Iranian University Threatens Students Over Graduation Dance Video

A group of female students may face prosecution after dancing at their graduation ceremony in southern Iran, warned the university president.

A video of female students at Al-Zahra University in Bushehr celebrating their graduation with music and dance went viral last week.

The university president, Zahra Hajiani, threatened legal action against the participants and the video's creator.

Hajiani claims the university has not held a graduation ceremony due to the lack of funds since the pandemic. 

She asserts the video, filmed by eight students in their old graduation gowns and featuring the university building, was "unauthorized and uncoordinated."

According to Hajiani, the students who produced the video have been identified and "will be questioned with their fathers." 

She deems the celebratory video "illegal" and intends to pursue legal action "until a result is obtained."

The video, well-received online, showed students from the Faculty of Architecture entering the university and celebrating their achievements. 

This incident follows a similar one at Isfahan University, where female students faced threats for a video showing them doing similar celebratory activities. 

The university officials threatened disciplinary action against participating students. 

They argued the students obtained graduation attire without permission and coordinated with a private company to edit the video.

The university emphasized the filming location was outside its jurisdiction.

Both videos featured female students wearing hijabs. However, the issue goes beyond mandatory headscarves. 

The Islamic Republic has a history of using repression, including prosecution and financial penalties, to enforce its interpretation of Islamic laws.

This persists despite many Iranian women, especially students, increasingly advocating for personal choice in clothing and lifestyle after the 2022 nationwide protests.