The gathering in Amir Kabir university, one of the most active centres of political dissent in the Islamic republic in recent years, totalled some 200 peaceful demonstrators amid tight security and there was no sign of violence.
A statement from the Office to Consolidate Unity, the main pro-reform student group, said the rally was staged to “protest against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, the illegal detention of political and student activists, increased pressure on the press (and) limited freedom of expression.”
Prominent dissident Ebrahim Yazdi, who heads the banned Iran Freedom Movement, former reformist MP Fatemeh Haghighatjou and several family members of political prisoners also took part.
The protestors also demanded the “immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners”, including dissident journalist Akbar Ganji — in jail for the past five years for accusing regime officials of being linked to a series of murders of dissidents in 1998 — as well as students jailed for taking part in student unrest in 1999.
The protest coincided with the beginning of the registration process for candidates wishing to stand in the June 17 presidential election, and the statement also condemned what it said was intelligence ministry pressure on activists calling for a poll boycott.
