Expulsion of Alireza Jafarzadeh, Master’s Student at Beheshti University, Upheld on Appeal

Breathing in Confinement, Tuesday, 18 August 2026: The Appeals Council of Beheshti University has upheld the expulsion of Alireza Jafarzadeh, a master’s student in International Political Economy, on charges including “creating unrest and disorder on university premises.”

According to reporters from Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the university’s disciplinary committee had previously expelled Alireza Jafarzadeh over allegations described as “creating unrest and disorder on university premises.” The decision has now been upheld by the Appeals Council.

According to an image of the letter issued by Beheshti University’s Disciplinary Council, the charges against the student included “creating unrest and disorder on university premises,” “insulting Islamic and national symbols and sanctities,” and “failure to observe standards of student conduct.”

Alireza Jafarzadeh had previously been arrested in 2022 during the nationwide “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests and was sentenced to one year of imprisonment and a two-year ban on activities in cyberspace on a charge described as “insulting the Supreme Leader.”

The decision to uphold his expulsion comes amid a broader pattern in recent years in which a number of students have faced disciplinary sanctions, suspension from their studies, and expulsion from university because of their participation in protests, student activism, and expression of dissenting views.