Iran (MNN) — It has been three months since Mahsa Amini’s death in police custody sparked protests across Iran. Amini was arrested by the morality police for improper hijab and beaten to death.
Three months in — despite police crackdowns, arrests, and even public executions — protestors are not backing down.
(Photo courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)
Tens of thousands of Iranians continue to flood the streets in opposition to government brutality. So far, roughly 600 protestors have been killed, including several children.
We asked Reza* of Global Catalytic Ministries: What makes these protests different from previous ones?
“Honestly, I think it’s just the tenacity of the people. They’re not afraid anymore. They are not afraid to die anymore, and that has really changed a lot of things,” Reza says.
“To see their tenacity, to see their willingness to die, to see them getting shot,…even the sayings or the slogans they are using like, ‘We’re not afraid of tanks or bullets,’ — these are sayings that usually they don’t say.”
It has been the country’s largest wave of protests in years. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has had a history of uprisings — that were all crushed.
Reza says, “When I was in the country during these riots in 2009, they brought out the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) and they put military law on the streets so the streets were empty. But this time around, they haven’t. Which shows that the IRGC is also very upset with the government, maybe even to the point where some of them are actually going with the people…. That is super unique and distinguishable.”
(Photo courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries)
Global Catalytic Ministries is concerned about protestors safety and their eternal souls! If they die, do they know Jesus as their Savior?
The ministry is raising $2 million through their campaign called Project Mahsa. The purpose is to support the underground Church in Iran. It would also enable Iranian believers to reach protestors with the Gospel.
“We want to be able to serve them. We want to be able to basically take care of them as they’re rioting and protesting so we can tell them about true freedom, true peace, true joy, and true love,” Reza says.
Learn more about Project Mahsa with Global Catalytic Ministries!
“Pray about it and see how the Lord leads you to help us financially for this special time — this Kairos time — inside of Iran.”
Header photo courtesy of Global Catalytic Ministries.
*Pseudonym
