Send letters of condemnation to the President of the University of Toronto, David Naylor, at david.naylor@ utoronto. ca or phone David Naylor at 416-978-2121
خواهش می کنم، زود اقدام کنيد فقط.
اين دانشگاه توروانتو دارد روز به روز بدتر و بدتر می شود، آخرين باری که دانشکده ما جوزف مساد از دانشگاه کلمبيا را دعوت کرد، پليس برگزارکنندگان را مجبور کرد که از جيب خوشان چهارصد دلار نا قابل پول پليس مخفی (بخوانيد مامور فضول اطلاعاتی) بدهند که نه می دانستيم کيست و نه می دانستيم کجای سالن نشسته است و دارد از مردم گزارش تهيه می کند. دليل شان هم اين بود که مساله اسراييل و فلسطين مساله حساسی است و وجود مامور پليس برای مساله امنيت اجباری است. حالا من نمی دانم که يک مامور اطلاعاتی فکستنی چطور می خواست امنيت صد-صد و پنجاه نفر آدم را تامين کند. واقعاً شرم آور است. حالا ببينيد اگر يکی از اين استادان ايرانی که اينقدر سنگ آزادی در ايران را به سينه می زنند آمدند از اين دانشجو ها حمايت کنند!
اين هم ايميل مادر فرشاد:
Dear Friends
This is unfortunate that I have to write this letter about the suppression of freedom of expression at University of Toronto and Toronto Police.
The issue is of personal interest to me as my son, Farshad, has been one of the student charged by university of Toronto and Toronto police.
On MArch 20, 2008 a group of student decided to have a peaceful sit-in in the office of President of University of Toronto. They were objecting the huge rise of residence fees and tuition fees. After 5 hours of peaceful sit-in police pushed them out of the building. a couple of weeks later UNiversity of Toronto accused 12 students, including my son, of committing offence and asked them to present in front of "disciplinary Committee".
University stepped up its crack down against student's right to express themselves and with Toronto Police charged 14 people with baseless offences (such as "forceful entry" to a building that is open to students, staff, professors, alumni and even public during the working hours).
the intention of the university becomes clear when reviewing the bail condition. One of the condition ban the students to talk to each other and also ban them from have any political work, demonstration and so on on the university ground. By this conditions and the fact that it may takes 2-3 years university has done itself a favour and got rid of these students political activities.
I hope you agree with me that these are enviously a suppression of freedom of expression in my opinion and a crack down on student who care about social justice and believe that education should be available to everyone.
It believe that the University should have lauded a group of young kids who care about the society they live in and especially about the poor in the society. Alas this is not the case. Not surprising in a city where %30 of children live under poverty line while university cares more about her corporate sponsorship.
On a presonal level: Farshad, my eldest son, is one of student brought in front of the disciplinary committee and charged by University of Toronto and Toronto Police.
I am proud that Farshd cares enough about social issues and specially social justice. he is a very intelligent and athletic person. Frashad finished high school with an average of %96.7. he was the most valuable player (MVP) of his high school rugby in the last two years of high school. he was the captain of his team. He was also selected to the ontario universities' all start team in rugby in his first year in university. More important, and people who have seen him can testify, Farshad is a gentle and polite person who cares about others more.
I am sure other students charged are not any less than My Farshad.
On another personal level: the action of University of Toronto and Toronto Police takes me back to 1976 and 1980 ( before and after Iran's Islamic revolution). On those occasions I was handed a note that i was kicked out of university for my beliefs about social justice and my activities toward a just society. Universities in Iran and Iran's governments could not tolerate such activities and they cracked down on the students. As you are all aware tens of thousands of students were kicked out and put in jail.
I am certainly not suggesting that the situation here and there are similar. However one of the most valuable lessons we , hopefully, learned from Iran's experience is that we have to cherish our rights and when the right of one person is taken everyone has to come out fully to defend the person whose right is taken. In Iran we were handed a piece of verdict and we had no right to defend yourself. Here students will appear in front of a judges and will have their lawyers. More important everyone can raise their voice and protest , if they think suppression of freedom is important enough a cause, and show the University of Toronto that they are appalled by their suppression of freedom. In a separate letter, and many more later, i will let you know what actions can be taken.
I urge you, as a close friend of mine and as a person who cares about social issues, to take this seriously. I urge you to forward the information on your list as widely as possible. I also ask you to ask your Friends to distribute these material to their list. With internet voices can be heard from far and away, so does not matter if people on your list live in another country. Human right is a universal right. Write about it on your weblogs, write articles fro papers. if you are in Toronto and can come up for a solidarity meeting please do so. We need to show these people that we care about our rights.
I hope I have your full support during this difficult time
This is unfortunate that I have to write this letter about the suppression of freedom of expression at University of Toronto and Toronto Police.
The issue is of personal interest to me as my son, Farshad, has been one of the student charged by university of Toronto and Toronto police.
On MArch 20, 2008 a group of student decided to have a peaceful sit-in in the office of President of University of Toronto. They were objecting the huge rise of residence fees and tuition fees. After 5 hours of peaceful sit-in police pushed them out of the building. a couple of weeks later UNiversity of Toronto accused 12 students, including my son, of committing offence and asked them to present in front of "disciplinary Committee".
University stepped up its crack down against student's right to express themselves and with Toronto Police charged 14 people with baseless offences (such as "forceful entry" to a building that is open to students, staff, professors, alumni and even public during the working hours).
the intention of the university becomes clear when reviewing the bail condition. One of the condition ban the students to talk to each other and also ban them from have any political work, demonstration and so on on the university ground. By this conditions and the fact that it may takes 2-3 years university has done itself a favour and got rid of these students political activities.
I hope you agree with me that these are enviously a suppression of freedom of expression in my opinion and a crack down on student who care about social justice and believe that education should be available to everyone.
It believe that the University should have lauded a group of young kids who care about the society they live in and especially about the poor in the society. Alas this is not the case. Not surprising in a city where %30 of children live under poverty line while university cares more about her corporate sponsorship.
On a presonal level: Farshad, my eldest son, is one of student brought in front of the disciplinary committee and charged by University of Toronto and Toronto Police.
I am proud that Farshd cares enough about social issues and specially social justice. he is a very intelligent and athletic person. Frashad finished high school with an average of %96.7. he was the most valuable player (MVP) of his high school rugby in the last two years of high school. he was the captain of his team. He was also selected to the ontario universities' all start team in rugby in his first year in university. More important, and people who have seen him can testify, Farshad is a gentle and polite person who cares about others more.
I am sure other students charged are not any less than My Farshad.
On another personal level: the action of University of Toronto and Toronto Police takes me back to 1976 and 1980 ( before and after Iran's Islamic revolution). On those occasions I was handed a note that i was kicked out of university for my beliefs about social justice and my activities toward a just society. Universities in Iran and Iran's governments could not tolerate such activities and they cracked down on the students. As you are all aware tens of thousands of students were kicked out and put in jail.
I am certainly not suggesting that the situation here and there are similar. However one of the most valuable lessons we , hopefully, learned from Iran's experience is that we have to cherish our rights and when the right of one person is taken everyone has to come out fully to defend the person whose right is taken. In Iran we were handed a piece of verdict and we had no right to defend yourself. Here students will appear in front of a judges and will have their lawyers. More important everyone can raise their voice and protest , if they think suppression of freedom is important enough a cause, and show the University of Toronto that they are appalled by their suppression of freedom. In a separate letter, and many more later, i will let you know what actions can be taken.
I urge you, as a close friend of mine and as a person who cares about social issues, to take this seriously. I urge you to forward the information on your list as widely as possible. I also ask you to ask your Friends to distribute these material to their list. With internet voices can be heard from far and away, so does not matter if people on your list live in another country. Human right is a universal right. Write about it on your weblogs, write articles fro papers. if you are in Toronto and can come up for a solidarity meeting please do so. We need to show these people that we care about our rights.
I hope I have your full support during this difficult time
