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A 22-year-old woman was reportedly killed by Iranian authorities after not wearing a hijab properly, sparking protests across the country. The death of Mahsa Amini has caused an uproar by men and women worldwide about the harsh reality behind the Islamic regime.
Amini was in Tehran with her brother when she was arrested on Sept. 13 for an “improper” hijab. While in Iran’s “morality police” custody, she had a heart attack and slipped into a coma despite not having any prior health problems.
Now the United Nations human rights chief is asking for an impartial probe into Amini’s death. The UN says there are reports of Amini being beaten with a baton to her head. They want someone to look into what is actually going on behind the curtain in Iran.
This week in cities all across Iran, women have gone to the streets to dance and burn their headscarves. BBC World reporter, Rana Rahimpour says, “Anti-regime protests have now spread to dozens of cities from north to south, east to west…all triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini while in custody of Iran’s morality police.”
Iran has not confirmed any deaths since the protests began, but independent media outlets have reported multiple deaths.
“The compulsory veiling laws remain of concern in Iran, where appearing in public without a hijab is punishable by imprisonment,” says UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif.
Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad posted a video on Twitter about the reality women in Iran face. In the video you see women being physically beaten, dragged on the street and put into vehicles and taken away.
Do you really want to know how Iranian morality police killed Mahsa Amini 22 year old woman? Watch this video and do not allow anyone to normalize compulsory hijab and morality police.
The Handmaid’s Tale by @MargaretAtwood is not a fiction for us Iranian women. It’s a reality. pic.twitter.com/qRcY0KsnDk
— Masih Alinejad ️ (@AlinejadMasih) September 16, 2022
It is illegal and punishable by death for Iranians to convert from Islam, but many are seeing the violence and condemning behavior of the government and are wanting to leave their faith behind to follow Jesus. You won’t hear about this in the mainstream media.
Before 1978, Iran was a free republic. They were able to openly talk about Jesus and live their lives how they desired. In 1978 an authentic Shiite Islamic regime took power. “Since the revolution in Iran, my prayers for an open harvest in Iran have been answered,” says Lazarus Yeghnaza and his daughter Lana Silk in an upcoming Charisma Magazine article.
Yeghnaza says, “The truth is that when we are comfortable, when we have options and multiple sources for life, for joy, for hope, it’s easy to be complacent and distracted.” Before the Shiite Islamic regime took over Islam in 1978, people weren’t interested in hearing about Jesus.
Under heavy oppression, people in Iran are searching for hope and are having radical encounters with Jesus in dreams and visions. Open Doors says Iran is the fastest-growing church in the world right now, with a rate of 20%.
Now is the moment of God’s visitation, and they aren’t missing it. “We are seeing the biggest revival in the history of Iran,” Yeghnaza and Silk say.
Despite the dark and demonic agenda the enemy has loosed over the country, the gospel is going forth with power and authority. As the world comes together to talk about the horrific death of Amini, Christians should pray that the underground church in Iran would be strengthened to lead the scared and hopeless people to the One who is hope. Pray for Amini’s family as they mourn the loss of their daughter and sister, and pray they would find comfort in God.
These radical lovers of Jesus in the underground Iranian church are like the heroes of the faith talked about in Hebrews 11. They are diligently seeking God with everything they have leaving behind everything that the world has to offer. They are a people who understand they are not of this world, but just pilgrims here for a time.
Hebrews 11:16 says, “But they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
We will continue to keep you updated on the protests in Iran and any independent investigation by the UN. {eoa}
Shelby Lindsay is an assistant editor for Charisma Media.
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