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Iran professors forced into early retirement for criticizing government – JURIST

Iranian media reported Saturday the dismissal from Tehran Azad University of nine professors, allegedly as a result of expressing views critical of the Islamic Republic. This development follows recent protests by Tehran students sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, as well as new disciplinary procedures against students refusing to wear hijab.The dismissals are not the first to occur in the aftermath of Amini’s death, according to Iranian news source Iran International. The organization obtained reports that at least nine professors from the Faculty of Political Science at Tehran Azad University have not been allowed to continue teaching at the institution. Other forced dismissals across the country include that of literature professor Mahshid Gohari of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, who shared on social media that she has been prevented from teaching again, despite doing so for seven years. Furthermore, political science professor at Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Zahra Khoshkjan, has been banned from entering their place of work after they did not go ahead with their classes as a show of support for student protests.Protests and unrest in Iran have been continuous since September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested for improper hijab. The Iranian government has responded with nationwide arrests of protestors, as well as public executions and limiting access to legal representation.