Academic Freedom and Human Dignity in Iran: A Statement of Support from Dr. Soraya Fallah
Los Angeles — 28 November 2022
I, Dr. Soraya Fallah, condemn all violence against school children, university students, school teachers, and university faculty in Iran during the weeks of unrest and the nationwide social movement that began after the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died while in the custody of the so-called “morality police.” Zhina had been preparing to begin her studies at Urmia University in the fall semester. Since then, many university students in Iran, the United States, and around the world have been sounding the alarm about grave human rights violations against their peers in Iran.
I am deeply concerned about the Iranian authorities’ violence and the killing of more than 60 school children and teenagers under the age of 18, along with many others who have been arrested, beaten, or detained by security forces. University students and faculty members have also faced brutal attacks, and hundreds have already been arrested and injured. These acts of repression have intensified, particularly in ethnically Kurdish areas.
Reports of police brutality and serious human rights abuses against children and student protesters in Iranian schools and universities have further deepened my concern. As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Islamic Republic of Iran is obligated to respect, protect, and fulfill children’s rights — including the right to life, privacy, freedom of thought, and peaceful assembly. These violations are completely incompatible with those obligations.
As an educator, scholar-activist, and human rights advocate, I express my unwavering solidarity with students, children, teachers, and educators in Iran who are peacefully demanding justice and freedom. I also stand with academic communities across the United States and internationally — including statements from organizations such as the Middle East Studies Association and the International Society for Iranian Studies — who have spoken out in support of the striking students and faculty in Iran.
I believe that schools and universities must be safe spaces where students can think freely, speak openly, and express their concerns without fear. Instead, many schools have tragically become sites of raids, searches, and interrogations. Such actions are unacceptable and violate the fundamental principles of academic freedom and human dignity.
As a member of the global community, I call for an end to all violence against students, teachers, and educational communities in Iran. I also urge the international community and human rights organizations — including UNICEF and Amnesty International — to hold perpetrators accountable and to speak out against the brutality inflicted on peaceful protesters.
You can read more about my advocacy and research here:
My Publications
References (APA 7th Edition)
Amnesty International. (n.d.). Iran. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/iran/
Middle East Studies Association. (n.d.). Advocacy letters. MESA. https://mesana.org/advocacy/letters
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. United Nations. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child
UNICEF. (n.d.). UNICEF and Iran. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/
(Note: Links accessed without retrieval dates per APA 7 preference.)
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