On July 9, 1999, student protests erupted following the closure of Salam newspaper and a midnight raid on Tehran University dormitories. This was the largest protest movement in Iran since the revolution up to that point, leading to six days of unrest.
Historical Context
On July 6, 1999, parliament passed a restrictive press law. Salam newspaper was shut down for publishing a classified document. On the night of July 8, Ansar-e Hezbollah forces and plainclothes agents attacked the university dormitory. Ezzat Ebrahimnejad, an engineering student, was killed in the attack. Protests spread throughout Tehran and then to other cities. Ahmad Batebi, holding his friend's bloody shirt, became an iconic symbol of the uprising.
Fun Facts
Ahmad Batebi's photo with the bloody shirt appeared on The Economist's cover, making him a symbol of the movement. Batebi was sentenced to 15 years in prison but later escaped Iran. 18 Tir was commemorated as "Student Day" by the reform movement for years.
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