Iran student protests, July 1999

Quick Facts: Who was Iran student protests, July 1999?

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Iran student protests, July 1999

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Violent student uprising in Iran (July 1999) against political repression.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Iranian student protests of July 1999 (also known as 18th of Tir and Kuye Daneshgah Disaster (Persian: فاجعهٔ کوی دانشگاه) in Iran) (7–13 July) were student protests which were violently repressed by the Basij and Ansar-e Hezbollah. Before the 2009 Iranian election protests, they were the most widespread and violent public protests to occur in Iran since the early years of the Iranian Revolution. The protests began on 8 July with peaceful demonstrations in Tehran against the closure of the reformist newspaper Salam. Following the demonstrations, a student dormitory was raided by riot police that night during which a student was killed. The raid sparked six days of demonstrations and rioting throughout the country, during which at least three other people were killed and more than 200 injured.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In the aftermath of these incidents, more than seventy students disappeared. In addition to an estimated 1,200–1,400 detainees, the "whereabouts and condition" of five students named by Human Rights Watch who are believed to be detained by Iranian authorities remain unknown. The protests began on the eve of 9 July 1999 after a peaceful demonstration by a group of students of Tehran University against the closure of the reformist newspaper, Salam, by the press court. The Salam newspaper (Persian: روزنامه سلام) was operated by the Association of Combatant Clerics, the reformist political party to which the then president, Mohammad Khatami belonged. The student groups, which at the time were considered one of the major supporters of Khatami and his reform programs, were protesting in support of Khatami against the closure of the newspaper by the judiciary, which was controlled by the hardline opponents of President Khatami.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On the evening of the protests, "about 400 plainclothes paramilitaries descended on a university dormitory, whispering into short-wave radios and wielding green sticks." The paramilitaries, thought to be Ansar-e-Hezbollah and Basij, began attacking students, kicking down doors and smashing through halls, grabbing female students by the hair and setting fire to rooms. Several students were thrown off of third story balconies "onto pavement below, their bones crushed", and one student paralyzed. According to students' accounts, uniformed police stood by and did nothing. "Witnesses reported that at least one student was killed, 300 wounded, and thousands detained in the days that followed." The next day, unrest began in earnest, spreading through Tehran and to other cities and continuing for almost a week, with unemployed youths joining the students. The Basij are reported to have disguised themselves as students (wearing jeans, T-shirts, and shaving their faces) and thrown bricks into shop windows to discredit the student demonstrators.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1999: 1999 Milestone — The Iranian student protests of July 1999 (also known as 18th of Tir and Kuye Daneshgah Disaster (Persian: فاجعهٔ کوی دانشگاه) in Iran) (7–13 July) were student protests which were violently repressed by the Basij and Ansar-e Hezbollah.
2. 2009: 2009 Milestone — Before the 2009 Iranian election protests, they were the most widespread and violent public protests to occur in Iran since the early years of the Iranian Revolution.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Iran student protests, July 1999

True or False: “Did the initial catalyst for the July 1999 protests involve students demonstrating against the closure of a reformist newspaper?”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Yes, the protests began after peaceful demonstrations by Tehran University students against the press court's closure of the reformist newspaper, Salam.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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Frequently Asked Questions about Iran student protests, July 1999