Iran: the actions of the University of Bologna in defence of human rights

The Italian section of Scholars at Risk (SAR-Italy) has issued a public document to firmly condemn, together with the international academic community, the current violations of human rights of students and staff at Iranian universities, higher education institutions and secondary schools.

The demonstrations against the regime started after 22-year-old Mahsa (Jhina) Amini was arrested by Iran's morality police for allegedly violating Iran’s restrictive hijab laws and later died in custody on 16 September. Iranians across the country have taken to the streets to express their anger over the lack of human rights with the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom”. Thousands of Iranians have joined peaceful protests to voice their basic demands for reforms. It has been reported that security forces have responded by opening fire on unarmed protestors, killing dozens and arresting hundreds more across the country.

The University of Bologna, together with the whole CRUI, shares SAR-Italy's concern and outrage, and expresses its strong solidarity with its broad Iranian student community, which is following the events with apprehension. The University of Bologna wholeheartedly joins the appeal to the Iranian government to stop the attacks on protesters and seek peaceful solutions to meet their legitimate demands and shed light on the death of Mahsa Amini.

At the urging of and in agreement with the student community, and in order to provide all our students with an interpretation of events based on a rigorous historical and political approach, a scientific seminar has been organized in the Ravenna Campus. It will be held on Thursday 20 October, at 3.30 PM, at the Department of Cultural Heritage, in Aula Gershevitch (Via Pasolini, 23).

The seminar titled "Iran's history and contemporary politics; which scenarios for its future?" will be held by two scholars from our University who are experts on contemporary Iran, namely Prof. Massimilano Trentin and Dr. Giorgia Perletta. The meeting will be chaired by journalist Vanna Vannuccini, who for many years was a special correspondent in Iran for the daily newspaper "La Repubblica." The event can be attended in person and online on Teams.

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