Iran: Student arrested after sewing his lips shut

Ynetnews -- Dariush Jalali, a student at Yasuj University in southwest Iran, has reportedly been arrested after he had sewn his lips shut to protest the pressure he had been facing over his political activism, Ynet reported Sunday.

According to reports, Jalali had sewn his lips together over the weekend and chained himself to a metal railing outside his university.

Jalali was reportedly sentenced to one year in prison last year after taking part in an opposition protest during the anti-regime riots of 2009. He had been released after spending three months in jail. University officials had put pressure on Jalali and banned him from classes, reports said.

Daneshjounews, a website that covers news related to Iran’s student movement, reported on Thursday that security forces had detained Jalali “violently” and taken him away in a car. His whereabouts are unknown.

In a statement issued before his arrest, Jalali said “Why am I protesting in this fashion? Why with lips closed? Why with chained feet? I sewed my lips because no one heard my cry against injustice. I chained my feet because my running didn’t take me anywhere,” he said.

“No matter how much I shouted, no one heard me. I said maybe my silence will be heard. I ran and ran but no one saw it. I said maybe I will be noticed by being in chains."