Kurdistan University students protest acquittal of professor in sexual harassment case involving 17 female students

Hengaw – Friday, July 3, 2026

The acquittal of Jamal Mohammadi, a sociology professor at Kurdistan University, by Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in a case involving documented allegations of sexual harassment and assault against 17 female students has sparked widespread protests and outrage among students. The case had previously led to his dismissal by the university’s Disciplinary Committee and Academic Disciplinary Board.

According to information obtained by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, a group of graduate sociology students at Kurdistan University staged a protest against the Ministry’s decision to acquit Mohammadi on Monday, June 29, 2026. The acquittal was formally communicated to the university earlier this month.

The protest, held primarily by graduate students while undergraduate students were absent due to online classes, included the reading of a statement affirming the students’ right to protest, expressing support for the courage of those who came forward with allegations, and rejecting the acquittal. Demonstrators gathered in front of the university’s central administration building, carrying placards and chanting slogans.

The protesting students also declared that if Jamal Mohammadi is allowed to return to teaching or resume academic duties at the university, their protests will continue.

Through a public statement and a meeting with the university’s president, Adel Sioseh Mardeh, the students called on the university administration to pursue the matter with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and urged university officials and faculty members to support the protesters. They also demanded institutional measures to restore a safe academic environment and provide legal and moral support to the complainants.

The case first emerged last year after 17 female sociology students reported incidents of sexual harassment and assault committed by Mohammadi in his office. Their testimonies were documented in a 300-page case file, prompting calls for a student protest outside the university’s central administration building and the publication of a public statement. The planned protest was ultimately called off after university officials pledged to conduct an effective investigation.

Following an internal investigation and the presentation of the students’ testimonies before the university’s Disciplinary Committee, Mohammadi was dismissed. The university’s Academic Disciplinary Board initially suspended him for one year before issuing a dismissal order in February 2026.

Following an appeal reviewed by the Ministry of Science, the case was referred to another disciplinary board, which ultimately acquitted Mohammadi of all charges.

The university’s Student Council also issued a statement supporting the students who reported the allegations and criticizing Mohammadi’s acquittal. The statement emphasized that “this case is not merely based on several documented administrative reports, but on the lived experiences of students who, despite immense pressure, chose to come forward and tell their stories.”