IUST Students at IUST remember fallen comrade (Photos)

GVF -- Between 200 to 300 students at the Iran University of Science and Technology gathered on 9 March to celebrate the 27th birthday of slain Green Movement protester, Kianoosh Asa who studied at the university. 

Kianoosh was shot dead by security forces in the post-election unrest in Iran and was one of the earliest victims of the post-election clampdowns.

On 9 March 2010 at 12pm local time IUST witnessed the gathering of students in “Asa Park,”—named after Kianoosh—in order to commemorate their friend’s death during post-election demonstrations. 

From the early hours of the morning, intelligence forces had been patrolling the area and after the gathering of students, the university’s own security joined the forces and started to film their faces and threatened the students present at the park. However, the students ignored these petty acts and proceeded with the ceremony by circling around a birthday cake made for their fellow students who is no longer physically among them.

“Dear Kianoosh, Happy Birthday,” had been written on the cake with lit candles. Students also lit candles next to Kianoosh’s framed picture and left flowers in remembrance of their fallen comrade.

After a brief silence to remember Kianoosh, a statement was distributed among the students whose numbers were growing as time went on. A student then read out the statement to those present. Security forces then immediately started filming him and other protesters at the university in an attempt to intimidate them; however the students again went on with their own ceremony.

The statement read by Kianoosh Asa’s fellow students, mentioned the pressure that the family had been under following the his death as well as Mir-Hossein Mousavi’s messages from his recent interview with the Kaleme website.

“The cry of the oppressed will bring down the oppressor,” the statement said. “The Green Movement will continue to live.”

The gathering which had started at 12pm Tehran local time, ended at 12:45pm.

The Kianoosh Asa Park in IUST was named after the slain student. This act was the initiative of the students themselves. Since then, it has become a place of gathering and assembly for students who refer to the park by its new name: "Kianoosh Asa Park."

Kianoosh Asa was a master’s student in the field of chemical engineering at IUST and was shot dead on 15 June 2009 in demonstrations against the announced results of the 2009 presidential election.

 It should be noted that Asa’s actual birthday is on 20 March, however, students decided to celebrate his birthday before the start of the New Year holidays when the university will be closed.