Following the threat of protests when former Iranian president Muhammad Khatami visits St Andrew's University to receive an honorary degree on 31 October, jailed Iranian student activist Ahmed Batebi has been temporarily freed.
When it became known that Khatami would be visiting St Andrew's, activists from Education Not for Sale and Scottish Socialist Youth issued a statement calling for solidarity with Iranian workers and students against both the Islamic Republic and the US's threats of war - and promising protests. This received widespread press attention, and quickly a majority of the NUS executive signed the statement. Ahmed's release shows that solidarity works. However, he has only been released for a short period of time and on the condition of paying $120,000 bail (raised from $45,000 by an Islamic judge at the last minute). It is vital that we keep up the pressure for him to be freed permanently, and for the release of all the Iranian regime's political prisoners.
For the full statement see the ENS website www.free-education.org.uk
