By Jeremiah Goddard
16 September 2023 marked the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody after allegedly violating the mandatory headscarf law. The killing of the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman fuelled a wave of anti-morality police protests and anti-oppression demonstrations last year. After dying down early this year, the anniversary of her death saw a return of protests in cities in Iran and around the world, with people shouting “women, life, freedom” and challenging the country’s clerical leaders. Protesters demand that her death and countless others should not be in vain. According to rights groups, more than 500 people were killed, and over 22,000 others detained for their involvement in the protests that resulted in some of the most severe political turmoil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. As authorities tried to prevent a resurgence this year, Amini’s father spent the anniversary of his daughter’s death being detained after he visited her grave.
In the year following Amini’s death, there have been some positive impacts as well. A letter was drafted and signed by 125 Iranian Christian organisations and churches from different countries stating: “We remember how courageous women, men, and even children of our country have challenged the rule of religious tyranny over the past year. With slogans such as “woman, life, freedom” and “we are all Mahsa”, the people of Iran are standing against injustice and oppression like a family, with an outstanding sense of solidarity.” This commonality between Christians and other Iranians may open doors for engagement and sharing the Gospel.
Despite this opportunity and other testimonies arising out of this time, the past year hasn’t been easy. Apart from the ongoing economic hardship faced by many Iranians and a crackdown by the morality police enforcing Islamic rules, Christians and new converts have faced increasing pressure, arrests, and executions. Article18, a human rights organisation that advocates for Iranian Christians and religious freedom, has reported scores of Christian detentions following protests on the anniversary of Amini’s death. Following the arrests, people were forced to sign statements to refrain from Christian activities or face further jail time. Some Christians who were arrested paid fines of over $8000, and some didn’t make bail. While the anniversary of Amini’s death was a further wake-up call to the increased oppression of the Iranian government, it was also a wake-up call to the oppression faced by Christians in the country. Article18 released their annual human rights report detailing a sharp increase in persecution against Persian-speaking Christians. There was hope that Amini’s death would be a catalyst for change in Iran, and it was. However, the change has not been a relaxing but rather a tightening of Islamic religious laws forced upon the Iranian people. Though our hearts are heavy for Iranian believers, we know that our hope does not come from governments, politicians, or religious leaders. Our hope remains that the Gospel will continue to be shared, despite the challenges Iranians face. We have received encouraging reports that the underground Church continues to grow in Iran as people discover the saving hope and true freedom found in Christ.
Please join us in prayer for the following:
- For God to raise up leaders in Iran to bring balance to government
- For God to give Iranian Christians boldness and wisdom in sharing the Gospel
- For God to use these events in Iran to bring about increased spiritual revival in Iran, with many coming to know the love and hope of Jesus Christ and the true freedom found in Him
