Large-scale nation-wide protests in Iran have continued for several weeks. Protests began to spread after a 22-year-old student, an Iranian Kurdish woman Mahsa Jina Amini, died in police custody on September 16 following her violent arrest by Iranʼs so-called ‘morality’ police.
Protests have been organized also in several Iranian universities. The response of the Iranian security and police forces to the protests has been violent, and has resulted in substantial loss of life as well as a large number of injuries
Universities Finland UNIFI condemns all use of violence. Unifi expresses its solidarity with Iranian students and university staff and supports the aspirations of the Iranian people who want to live in a free, stable, inclusive and democratic country that respects its national and international commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms
Unifi wishes to emphasize that Finnish universities are culturally diverse communities, whose members must be treated equally regardless of nationality. Universities are committed to promoting equality in all their activities.
- As a member of Scholars at Risk Finland, the University of Lapland will join the national actions to support Iranian scholars. In the challenging global situation these networks give our community useful tools to find solutions to support scholars who have fled their homes and academic communities, says Mari Putaansuu, member of the Scholars at Risk Finland.