Article18 has joined over 125 other Iranian Christian organisations and churches from 16 different countries in signing a joint statement on the occasion of the anniversary of the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.

In the statement, the full text of which can be read below, we praise the women, men and children of Iran who have “sacrificed their lives for freedom, human dignity, respect for human rights, and ending the rule of discrimination and injustice for all Iranians,” and call on the international community to hold the Iranian authorities accountable for their “rule of religious tyranny”.

We also note how Iranian Christians have “joined together with other fellow citizens of our country in protest and resistance, generating hope for a free Iran, and in doing so some of them have paid a price”.

We conclude by demanding “justice and equal rights for all Iranians, … the release of all prisoners of conscience; access to medical care for the injured; and an end to harassment and pressure on the protestors’ families”.

You can read the full statement, and list of signatories, below.

WE REMEMBER

We, as part of the Iranian Christian community, commemorate the anniversary of the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini and the beginning of the freedom-loving and justice-seeking uprising of the Iranian nation.

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.

We are proud of the hundreds of young Iranians who have sacrificed their lives for freedom, human dignity, respect for human rights, and ending the rule of discrimination and injustice for all Iranians. We pray for their families to be comforted. The Bible has taught us, “Whoever closes his ears to the cry of the voiceless, he himself will cry one day and no-one will hear.” (Proverbs 21:13)

Today, we all – from different people groups, languages and beliefs in Iran – have a common issue. The unjust rulers of Iran have injured, disabled, and blinded thousands of protestors and non-violent protesters, and thousands more have been imprisoned and tortured. In order to continue their repression and generate fear, the families of the victims have been imprisoned and put under pressure; the doctors who treated the wounded protestors have been killed; and a number of young protestors have been sentenced to death in government show trials.

Despite the governments’ all-out violence, the spirit of fear has not prevailed over the Iranian people, and the men and women of our country continue their struggle with courage. Iranian Christians have also joined together with other fellow citizens of our country in protest and resistance, generating hope for a free Iran, and in doing so some of them have paid a price.

While supporting the UN’s establishment of a fact-finding mission to investigate the government’s illegal crackdown, we ask the international community to hold the government and leaders of the Islamic Republic accountable.

We still demand justice and equal rights for all Iranians, and we especially demand the release of all prisoners of conscience; access to medical care for the injured; and an end to harassment and pressure on the protestors’ families.

As Christians, we consider standing next to the oppressed and trying to establish justice not as an option but as our duty. In this regard, we pray and strive so that “justice roll[s] on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream”.

Organisations

Article18

Hamgaam Council of Iranian Churches

The Iranian Presbyterian Council in the Diaspora

Pars Theological Centre

Korpu Company

Epiphany Arts & Culture Foundation

ICC Global

Shabake7 – TV

Iran for Christ Ministries

Eternal Life Ministries

Imandaran

Torch Ministries

Jubal Band Ministries

Churches

Iranian Christian Fellowship (Chiswick, UK)

Iranian Christian Fellowship (East London, UK)

North London Iranian Church (London, UK)

South London Iranian Church (London, UK)

Brighton Iranian Church (Brighton, UK)

St Apharhat Iranian Church (Manchester, UK)

Liverpool Iranian Church (Liverpool, UK)

Alpha and Omega Iranian Church (Hamburg, Germany)

The Lion of Judah Church (Stuttgart, Germany)

Aghos Iranian Church (Denmark)

Iranian Church of Copenhagen (Denmark)

Disciples Iranian Church (Toronto, Canada)

Richmond Hill Iranian Church (Toronto, Canada)

Vienna Iranian Church (Austria)

Linz Iranian Church (Austria)
New Life Iranian Church (Oslo, Norway)

Göteborg Iranian Church (Sweden)

Iranian Church of St Jose (California, USA)

Iranian Church of Sacramento (California, USA)

Iranian Church of Burbank (California, USA)

Grace Iranian Church (Stockholm, Sweden)

Grace Iranian Church (Västerås, Sweden)

Iranian Pentecostal Church of Uppsala (Sweden)

Light of the World Church (Vancouver, Canada)

The Body of the Lord Church (Toronto, Canada)

Elam Alive Church (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Church of the Kingdom of God (France)

Life Spring Church (Oklahoma City, USA)

Life Spring Church (Tulsa, USA)

Iranian Church of Los Angeles (California, USA)

Grace Church (LA, California, USA)

Nousazan Church (LA, California, USA)

The Holy Spirit Church (LA, California, USA)

Iranian Church Beverly Hills (LA, California, USA)

The Good Shepherd Church (Walnut Creek, USA)

The Light of the World Church (Almere, Netherlands)

Ottawa Persian-Speaking Church (Ottawa, Canada)

God’s Way Church (Hamburg, Germany)

The Father’s Movement Church (The Hague, Netherlands)

Grace Church (Brisbane, Australia)

Grace Church (Sydney, Australia)

Grace Church (Melbourne, Australia)

Adelaide Iranian Church (Adelaide, Australia)

The New Beginning Church (Birmingham, UK)

Persian Worshipers of Christ Church (California, USA)

Omid Javedan Church (California, USA)

Seven Church (Netherlands)

Anchor of Hope Church (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Persian Apostolic Church (Paris, France)

Persian Church of Strasburg (Paris, France)

The Crown Church (Essen, Germany)

Parsian Church (Nevşehir, Turkey)

The Good News Church (Antalia, Turkey)

The Christ Church (Izmir, Turkey)

Samsun Protestant Church (Samsun, Turkey)

Persian-speaking Church of Trabzon (Trabzon, Turkey)

Agape Church (Aksaray, Turkey)

Agape Church (Amasya, Turkey)

Agape Church (Sinop, Turkey)

Agape Church (Ordu, Turkey)

The Christ Ambassadors Church (Denizli, Turkey)

222 Church (Istanbul, Turkey)

222 Church (Ankara, Turkey)

222 Church (Çanakkale, Turkey)

222 Church (Yalova, Turkey)

222 Church (Balıkesir, Turkey)

222 Church (Afyon, Turkey)

222 Church (Denizli, Turkey)

222 Church (Eskişehir, Turkey)

222 Church Medresin (Turkey)

222 Church (Trabzon, Turkey)

222 Church (Kayseri, Turkey)

222 Church (Niğde, Turkey)

222 Church (Nevşehir, Turkey)

222 Church (Assen, Netherlands)

222 Church (Almere, Netherlands)

222 Church (Zwolle, Netherlands)

222 Church (Venlo, Netherlands)

222 Church (Wiesbaden, Germany)

222 Church (Munich, Germany)

222 Church (Düsseldorf, Germany)

222 Church (Cologne, Germany)

222 Church (Cologne, Germany)

222 Church (Stockholm, Sweden)

222 Church (Västerås, Sweden)

222 Church (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Iranian Church of Malmo (Malmo, Sweden)

Iranian Church of Helsinki (Helsinki, Finland)

Iranian Church of Copenhagen (Copenhagen, Denmark)

Iranian Church of Rome (Rome, Italy)

Iranian Church of Vienna (Vienna, Austria)

Iranian Church of Yerevan (Yerevan, Armenia)

Iranian Church of Vancouver (Vancouver, Canada)

Bet-Eil Church (Turkey)

The Royal Priesthood Church (Liverpool, UK)

Iranian Baptist Church of South Germany (Germany)

The Persian Church of the Saved (Kayseri, Turkey)

Henderson Hills Persian Baptist Church (Oklahoma, USA)

Evangelical Free Church Bochum (Germany)

Freedom Church (Sparta, Turkey)

Houston Iranian Church (Texas, USA)

Churches of Iranian Teranom (Netherlands)

The Justice Branch Church (LA, California, USA)

Persian Church of the Kingdom of Heaven (Canada)

Persian Church of Christ (Izmir, Turkey)

Persian Smyrna Church (Gothenburg, Sweden)

The Kingdom of God Church (France)

The Central Persian Church (Stavanger, Norway)

Bournemouth Persian-Speaking Fellowship (Bournemouth, UK)

Iranian Presbyterian Fellowship (Bayern, Germany)

The Iranian Christians Fellowship of Dallas (Texas, USA)

Persian-speaking International Church of the Cross of Love (Norway)

The Light of the World Church (Almere, Netherlands)

Church Without Borders (Kayseri, Turkey)

Sunnyvale Iranian Church (California, USA)

Smyrna Church (Izmir, Turkey)