Campus too unsafe?

Violent riots after student murder in Tehran

Large demonstrations take place again and again in Iran (archive image).(Bild: APA/AFP)

Violent protests are currently rocking the Iranian capital. The reason: the murder of a student. According to the authorities, the police have now taken several suspects into custody.

"The perpetrators have been arrested and are being interrogated," announced judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir on state television. According to media reports, 19-year-old student Amir Mohammad Khaleghi was robbed and murdered near his dormitory in Iran's capital on Wednesday.

The crime sparked great outrage among students and protests for more security on the campus of Tehran University. Dozens of students took part in a demonstration on Friday. As the newspaper "Ham Mihan" reported, there were clashes with plainclothes security forces.

Science Minister Hossein Simaei Sarraf denied reports that students had been arrested following the protests. He also announced the resignation of the head of Tehran University's dormitory administration.

Investigation ordered
Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, as reported by the state news agency Irna. The FARS news agency reported that Khaleghi was buried on Saturday in his home village in the eastern province of South Khorasan.

In September 2022, the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini sparked mass protests in Iran. The 22-year-old had died after being arrested by the Iranian morality police for allegedly violating the strict Islamic dress code. Amini's death led to months of protests with hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.