PETITION: Request for investigation concerning Nassim Noroozi - alleged misuse of Concordia affiliation and disputed public messaging

To:
Office of the President, Concordia University
Office of the Provost and Vice-President, Academic
Office of Rights and Responsibilities (ORR)
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Science

From: Iranian community members and concerned members of the Concordia community

Subject: Request for investigation regarding alleged misuse of university affiliation/platforms to legitimize political misinformation and minimize reported violence in Iran

 
1) Purpose of this petition

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that Concordia University initiate a formal review/investigation regarding concerns involving Nassim Noroozi (the “Individual”), who is publicly described or presented as affiliated with:

Concordia University, Faculty of Arts and Science (including references to Simone de Beauvoir/related academic contexts), and
McGill University, Faculty of Education
Nassim Noroozi publicly presents herself as a course lecturer and academic voice in areas including: Decolonial Theory, Ethics of Resistance, Ethics of Feminist Movements, Education and Philosophical Thought.

This petition requests policy-based accountability and due process. It is not a call for harassment, threats, or discrimination.

 
2) Summary of concerns

Signatories are concerned that Nassim Noroozi is using academic status and visible university affiliation as credibility to amplify public messaging that functions to minimize, reframe, or delegitimize reporting about deaths and repression in Iran. We are further concerned that Nassim Noroozi’s framing links discussion of deaths in Iran to claims about Gaza/Israel discourse, suggesting that reporting on Iran is being used manipulatively to influence another conflict’s narrative.

The undersigned believe this type of messaging, when issued under visible university affiliation/risks:

Harming the learning environment for students directly affected by violence and repression in Iran;
Discouraging open, respectful dialogue by portraying affected communities as dishonest or politically motivated; and
Creating a public perception that university affiliation is being used to lend institutional legitimacy to controversial political narratives.
 
3) Evidence of disputed framing (attached)

Signatories provide documentation of public statements attributed to the Individual. For example:

Exhibit A (X/Twitter post, Jan 26, 2026, 8:30 p.m., Montreal time) - The Individual describes a widely circulated casualty figure as “unverified,” labels it “criminal propaganda,” and claims it is intended to “downplay” Gaza, “absolve” Israel, and “promote a military attack.” The post states (original Persian text):

«این عدد تأییدنشدهٔ «۳۰ هزار کشته» همه‌جا پخش شده. این هم یک پروپاگاندای جنایت‌بار دیگر است که هدفش کم‌اهمیت جلوه دادن نسل‌کشی غزه، تبرئه کردن اسرائیل و همزمان تبلیغ حمله نظامی به یک کشور مستقل در آن واحد است.»

(English translation for review purposes: “This unverified number of ‘30,000 killed’ has been spread everywhere. This is another criminal propaganda whose aim is to downplay the genocide in Gaza, absolve Israel, and at the same time promote a military attack on an independent country, all at once.”)

Signatories submit this exhibit not to suppress political debate, but to request an institutional review of whether such messaging-when amplified under academic affiliation and instructor status-aligns with Concordia’s standards and responsibilities.

 

Exhibit B (Media article link, Jan 15, 2026):
Source: Ricochet Media - “Whose revolution is it? How Iran’s protests are being reframed abroad” (Jan 15, 2026).
Link: https://ricochet.media/international/whose-revolution-is-it-how-irans-protests-are-being-reframed-abroad/

Relevance: This article publicly identifies/quotes Nassim Noroozi as a lecturer and presents her public commentary on Iran-related protests and diaspora narratives. Signatories submit this exhibit as context showing how university affiliation may amplify reach/credibility of disputed public messaging.

 
4) Why this requires a university response

Concordia has a responsibility to maintain a respectful and safe learning and working environment and to ensure that the university’s name, titles, and platforms are not used in ways that could reasonably be interpreted as lending institutional legitimacy to misinformation, targeted political messaging, or discourse that may harm students.

The concern is not merely disagreement with a political opinion. The concern is the institutional impact when controversial public messaging:

Characterizes reporting about deaths as “propaganda,”
Questions casualty figures in a manner perceived as dismissive of suffering, and
Is disseminated using the credibility of university affiliation and academic titles.
 
5) What we are asking Concordia University to do
We respectfully request that Concordia:

A) Open a formal investigation
Conduct an impartial assessment to determine whether the Individual’s conduct, particularly where connected to Concordia role/affiliation, may breach applicable policies and standards (as relevant), including:

Professional conduct for instructors and staff;
Respectful learning and working environment policies;
Harassment, intimidation, or discriminatory impact;
Misuse of university name/title/branding;
Boundaries regarding political activity when representing the institution;
Disclosure/conflict-of-interest obligations (where applicable).
B) Review possible use of Concordia platforms and institutional credibility
Determine whether Concordia resources or channels were used to amplify these messages, including:

Classroom instruction, course communications, learning platforms;
Departmental events or speaker platforms;
Concordia webpages, bios, or official profiles;
Public-facing content where Concordia affiliation is displayed as credibility.
C) Apply corrective measures if concerns are substantiated
If policy breaches are found, apply proportionate measures consistent with policy and law, which may include:

Clarified restrictions on using Concordia affiliation to legitimize political messaging;
Training and guidance on professional boundaries and respectful discourse;
Supervision or other academic/HR measures as appropriate;
Corrective steps to ensure students feel safe and respected.

D) Provide a process acknowledgement
Within confidentiality limits, confirm receipt and indicate which office will manage the review (ORR/HR/Academic leadership) and how documentation can be submitted safely.

 
6) Respect for academic freedom and due process

We respect academic freedom and recognize the importance of debate on difficult political issues. However, academic freedom does not remove the university’s responsibility to ensure professional standards and to prevent misuse of institutional credibility in ways that can harm the learning environment. We ask Concordia to proceed with fairness, impartiality, and due process.

 
7) Requested outcome and community trust

We respectfully request that Concordia University:

Complete an impartial review/investigation;
Take appropriate action if any policy violations are substantiated; and
Ensure safeguards are in place to protect students, academic integrity, and Concordia’s institutional credibility.

Community trust and reputational impact:

If these concerns are not addressed through a transparent, policy-based process, many signatories anticipate a serious loss of trust in the institution. As a result, members of the Iranian community may choose to withhold engagement with Concordia, including reconsidering future enrollment decisions for themselves and their family members. Our intention in stating this is not to pressure outcomes, but to underscore the real reputational and community impact of inaction.

 
Exhibit Log (attachments)
Exhibit A: X/Twitter post screenshot — Jan 26, 2026, 8:30 p.m. (Montreal time) - disputed framing of reported deaths (text + translation included)

 

 https://x.com/NassimNo/status/2015960495946092554?s=20

 

Exhibit B: Ricochet Media article link - Jan 15, 2026 - identification/quotes of Nassim Noroozi as a lecturer 

Link: https://ricochet.media/international/whose-revolution-is-it-how-irans-protests-are-being-reframed-abroad/