'God Help Her': Christian Activist Mary Fatemeh Mohammadi Arrested in Iran During Protests

Andrea Morris
01-19-2020

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Christian activist Mary Fatemeh Mohammadi was arrested on January 12 while protests were taking place in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

The website Article 18 reports that Mohammadi was arrested near Azadi Square, where protesters rallied over the Iranian government admitting to shooting down a Ukrainian passenger plane.

Several protesters were reportedly arrested last Sunday in multiple Iranian cities even though it is unclear whether Mohammadi was participating in any of the demonstrations.

Prior to her arrest, she published a series of tweets in which she said the Iranian people were facing "soft repression" and she used hashtags that meant "suppression is the norm."

She added that overcoming "soft repression" is even harder when confronted with the "hard repression" of batons and tear gas.

Mohammadi said that the Iranian regime is "institutionalising false beliefs through selective coverage of the news", and "lies that are bigger and more repetitive make them more believable".

Recently, the activist has faced a series of challenges and arrests as a result of her converting from Islam to Christianity and sharing her faith.

Last July, Mohammadi was arrested after she was attacked by a woman who was insulted over her dress attire, HRANA News reports.

In 2017, she was arrested and detained in Tehran where she was sentenced to six months in prison on charges of "membership in proselytizing groups," "Christian activity," and "acting against national security through propaganda against the regime." 

Last month Mohammdi, an English-language major, was kicked out of her Tehran university, without an explanation.

"The denial of basic and fundamental rights, such as the right to education, certainly can act as a pressure mechanism and is used as a lever to apply pressure on religious minorities and human rights activists in the hope that individuals will halt their activities and abandon their beliefs," she said.

"Depriving me of my education is certainly intended to exert pressure upon me, and silence me."

According to Devoted News, people who convert from Islam face persecution from the government and those practicing their faith in a church setting are constantly at risk of imprisonment.

Her recent arrest has triggered an outpouring of prayers on social media, many praising Mohammdi’s courage and strength.

Rev. Johnnie Moore tweeted, "God help her & protect her, please. God, please help everyone like her.

Susan Lambeau wrote, "Sometimes it is very humbling when you see others being persecuted for their faith in Jesus. Pray for all Christians facing persecution."

Another follower tweeted, "May those of us who share her faith also share a measure of her courage and strength."

There have been no updates on Mohammdi's safety or her whereabouts and her family members are concerned. Please pray for Mohammdi and all the persecuted Christians.

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About The Author

Andrea Morris
Andrea
Morris

Andrea Morris is a Features Producer for The 700 Club. She came to CBN in 2019 where she worked as a web producer in the news department for three years. Her passion was always to tell human interest stories that would touch the hearts of readers while connecting them with God. She transitioned into her new role with The 700 Club in August 2022.
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