IHR Expresses Growing Concerns Over Pressure On Two Elite Students to Make Televised Confessions

Ali Younesi, a computer engineering student at Sharif University of Technology, and Amir Hossein Moradi, a physics student at the university, were detained by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence service on April 10, 2020.

On Monday, July 13th, in an unprecedented move, the judiciary held a meeting with some officials, professors, and student associations some of whom have close ties with the security forces. The meeting was comparable to a public forced confession session.

According to a report published by the Sharif University of Technology Basij Student Organisation entitled "the Midday Story", Ali Younesi "complains about some of his treatment and says that some are still bothering him.” 

According to several reports, published by student associations present at the meeting, Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi spent nearly a month in windowless 2x1 meter cells in solitary confinement. 

What is clear from all the published reports is that while in detention, the two boys have been under duress to make a televised confession. In the meeting, Ali Younesi is recorded as saying: “I’m not willing to interview with 20:30.” (The “20:30” is a news segment on IRIB TV1, which has previously broadcast forced televised confessions of other prisoners with political or security-related charges).

Elsewhere, Ali Younesi explicitly states: "I just want my case to leave the ministry (of intelligence) and go to court so I can defend myself there. I am now also worried about my family in case they get into trouble."

According to the reports published from the meeting, amongst others, the two students have been accused of bombings and collaborating with the Mojahedin Khalq (MEK), which can carry heavy sentences under Islamic Republic laws.

"They are under pressure to conduct televised interviews," an IHR source said of the latest situation of the two imprisoned students.

While at high school, Ali Younesi won silver and gold at the National Astronomy Olympiad in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In his senior year of high school, he won the gold medal with the Iranian national team at the 2018 World Astronomy Olympiad in China. Amir Hossein Moradi also won silver at the 2017 Iranian Astronomy Olympiad.