Opinion – Radboud University should show support for the students in Iran, according to Jan-Pieter Zonnenberg, treasurer for the Radboudumc. ‘Iranian students are currently fighting a brave battle for a free future. University communities around the world should stand with them, so that they feel supported.’

The other day, I read the column called ‘You have a part to play!’ by Agnes Muskens, vicechair of the university. It was a call for students to “take the time to reflect on how we can support each other’s well-being”. It is important that we feel connected to the world around us, where tensions are mounting. As examples, Muskens mentioned the corona crisis, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, but also the “restrictions of civil freedoms in Iran”. She praised our Minister of Justice, who cut off a lock of her hair on live television in support of the protesting women in Iran.

I found that interesting. I have been involved with the Iranian community in the Netherlands for years, campaigning for human rights in Iran. Very rarely did we receive attention from the Dutch media, but a few weeks ago that changed completely. Now there’s even a university administrator talking about being connected to one another and taking an interest in our fellow humans. That’s wonderful, and it immediately made me think: University, you have a part to play as well!

Women lead the charge

The 22-year-old Masa Amini died in Iran on September 16th. This young woman did not wear her head scarf in the prescribed way, and for this the Iranian morality police arrested her and beat her so violently that she died. Since her death, protests have erupted all over Iran. The population has taken to the streets en masse to speak out against the oppressive regime.

Students and women are leading the charge. At more than 100 universities, large groups of students and professors congregate to protest, risking their lives in the process. Students at the prestigious Sharif University of Technology in Tehran were fired upon and beat up by the regime’s security forces.

A lot of students are becoming politically active because of a growing desire for freedom. The Iranian people have been repressed for over 40 years by their religious regime, which took power after the 1979 revolution. If you don’t live according to the harsh rules of the Mullahs, Iran’s spiritual leaders, you will be arrested, imprisoned, tortured, or executed. After China, Iran has the highest number of executions in the world. Students and intellectuals are the principal victims.

Iranian Universities

The protests in Iran received worldwide support. Protests are being held everywhere to show support for the Iranians fighting for freedom. There is also an increase in political support. Canadian prime minister Trudeau gave a speech last week at a conference in Ottowa, where he expressed a hope for the fall of the Iranian regime. More than 2000 academics, including 10 Nobel Prize winners, have sent a letter to the American president Biden in which they draw attention to the conditions at Iranian universities, call on the president to cease all negotiations with the Iranian regime, and fully prioritize human rights.

I’ve heard a lot of personal stories from Iranian refugees in the Netherlands. Mothers who have lost their children; students who have been imprisoned for years; a father who was tortured in front of his wife and child; a woman who, as a teen, saw her parents murdered. These are very disturbing stories, and they made me feel involved.

Support for Iranian students

According to its mission statement, Radboud University wants to contribute to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for everyone. Right now, Iranian students are fighting a courageous battle for a free future. University communities around the world should stand with them and show their support; that can really make a difference. As this Volkskrant interview so aptly put it: in their fight with armed men, the students’ only weapon is global solidarity.

Several Dutch universities have already shown their solidarity with the protests in Iran. Radboud University can do the same. University, you have a part to play!