… The recent mass protests in Iran, which began on the 28th of December, have resulted in Iranian students facing increased wellbeing challenges. This was exacerbated when the government disabled all civilian telecommunications on January 8, and began using violent force against civilian protestors, resulting in the deaths of at least 12-20 thousand civilians (CBS News, 2026), 330,000 injured (Sunday Times, 2026). These massacres have been largely operationalised by the IRGC and its Basij Resistance Forces.
Our members report significant anxiety and fear of IRGC activities in Australia. Particularly, our members are concerned that their activities, whether in support or opposition to the Islamic Republic, are monitored and reported to the IRGC. As well, due to the internet blackout, they are unable to contact their loved ones, further impacting their wellbeing.
CAPA recommends that the committee takes whatever measures necessary which protect and support Iranian students in Australia from reprisal by the IRGC.
