January 1, 2010

Source:

Green Movement News Network (JARAS): One of the Mashhad University students provided Jaras with a report of what he witnessed that day:

Early morning yesterday, while there was still no student gatherings, special forces and anti-riot police surrounded the university and plainclothes thugs as well as Basijis were positioned in great numbers at the university.

Starting from 12:00pm, students gathered in front of the architecture school where students were attacked and several wounded yesterday. There were no slogans being chanted and the crowd was relatively silent. They only wanted the release of their classmates who were arrested yesterday. An hour later, two clergies (Mullahs) (whom I did not know their positions at the University) started to give speeches, which I will send their videos to you.

At first, one of the clergies confirmed the suppression and basiji attacks on students and claimed that such actions were unacceptable.

Then, the other clergy insured students that their arrested classmates will be released by 8:00pm that night and told them that the university doors are open and the students can leave the university or attend their classes without any problems.

It was around 4:30pm that the students left the university, trusting the clergies’ words about their arrested classmates being released or not being arrested outside of the campus. Suddenly, loud screams and shouts could be heard from outside the campus and the students who were on the university buses were attacked, beaten, and arrested by Basijis.

Security guards rushed outside of the university in order to help their friends and the university guards shut the door so that students could not go outside to help their friends. Half an hour later, the university doors reopened and any student who exited the doors was arrested without any reason.

At 5:30pm in the afternoon, in front of the university door, Hamid Ostad, the leader of Hezbollah group in Mashhad, started talking and threatening students, while confirming the fact that there had been attacks on students. In addition, one of the guards present said that students had gathered three times thinking they could do whatever they wanted. You should have punished them yesterday so they would not dare to do such things.

Until 6:00pm, security forces surrounded the university and I left the university, but the beatings and arrests continued until 8:00pm.

- Nilli Irani