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UiO condemns the violent police actions against Iranian students

�C We strongly condemn the violent repression of student protesters at Iranian universities, and urge the country's police authorities to step back in respect of fundamental human rights, says Rector Svein St?len at the University of Oslo.

Iranian students in Tehran take off their headscarves in protest after the death of Mahsa Amini. Photo: SalamPix/ABACAPRESS.COM

Last Sunday, Iranian law enforcement officials halted demonstrations at the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran. The demonstrations there, and a number of other places in the country, have erupted after the young woman Mahsa Amini was arrested by the Iranian morality police and subsequently died in police custody.

Several international media outlets report that the police have used illegal and violent means to crack down on the protests. A number of students and other protesters have been arrested, and several have been reported injured.

�C We stand with the students and the academic community in Iran and others who use their voices to protest. Freedom of speech and the freedom to demonstrate are fundamental rights in our democracy. Together with academic freedom, they are central to our common international set of values, and they must be protected with everything we have, says St?len.

Published Oct. 4, 2022 3:04 PM - Last modified Oct. 4, 2022 4:12 PM