Sina Shakib Expelled From University and Barred From Continuing His Studies Because of His Belief in the Baha’i Faith

Source: www.hra-news.org

Translation by Iran Press Watch

HRANA ‒ Sina Shakib, a fourth semester student of statistics and applications at the Khansar School of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Isfahan, has been expelled from the university and barred from continuing his studies because of his belief in the Baha’i faith. Despite being prevented from studying at universities, some of these Baha’i citizens sometimes succeed in entering university; after a while, they are banned from continuing their studies by the authorities under various pretexts, and expelled from the university.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Sina Shakib, a student at the University of Isfahan, has been expelled from the university because of his Baha’i religion, and has been barred from continuing his studies.

According to a source close to the family of this Baha’i citizen, Sina Shakib noticed that his account did not work on April 20, when he tried to participate in an online class. When he contacted the university’s education department, he was told that he had been expelled from the university and barred from continuing his studies, as described in confidential letters sent to him by the Ministry of Education and Selection.

Other family members of this Baha’i citizen have previously been barred from continuing their education in various ways, simply because of their belief in the Bahai Faith. Sara Shakib, sister of Sina Shakib, a former statistics student at Kashan National University, was expelled from the university during a similar process in her first semester after entering the university in 2015. Also, Samira Shakib, another sister of this Baha’i citizen, was given an “incomplete file” message in the 2018 national entrance exam, and was banned from continuing her education. Many years ago, the mother of this family was also prevented from continuing her education at the university because she is a Baha’i.

Sina Shakib was born in 2001, and is a fourth semester student of statistics and applications at the University of Isfahan-Khansar Faculty of Mathematics and Computer.

Despite the deprivation of Baha’i citizens of a university education, some of these citizens have occasionally been able to enter university; after a while, they have then been barred from continuing their education by the authorities under various pretexts.

Despite the explicit wording of the law, according to a resolution of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of Iran Baha’is are barred from university education, in addition to being barred from holding public office.

Every year, there are numerous reports of Baha’i citizens being prevented from continuing their studies at Iranian universities. This even includes those who are on the verge of graduating.