500 Iranian Students Protest the Judiciary
Hundreds of Iranian students chanting, “Political prisoners should be released!” protested against Iran’s hard-line judiciary Saturday night in the nation’s biggest political demonstration in more than three years.
The protest coincided with mounting tension in the country of 65 million as reformist President Mohammad Khatami seeks to break conservatives’ stranglehold on the heart of the political system.
About 500 students made fires outside Tehran University’s campus gates and chanted, “Freedom of thought forever!” and “Our problem is the judiciary!” witnesses said.
Police blocked off roads surrounding the campus and fired at least one tear-gas canister. But they made no move toward the students. The protest began to fizzle out about 1 a.m. today, about five hours after it started.
The demonstration came days after a hard-line court sentenced reformist Tehran University academic Hashem Aghajari to death for blasphemy after he questioned the clergy’s right to rule the Islamic Republic. He was also accused of insulting the prophet Muhammad.
“Execution of Aghajari is execution of thought in Iran!” the students shouted as dozens of plainclothes police and members of the radical conservative vigilante group Ansar-e Hezbollah watched from behind the police cordon, witnesses said.
Khatami has found his efforts to promote democracy blocked by conservative rivals who control the judiciary, armed forces and broadcast media.
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