The Iranian government has been targeting Farsi-language websites for being "anti-Islamic," including a news site dedicated to exposing the systematic persecution of Iranian Christians.
The number of Internet users in Iran has risen sharply in recent years, threatening the government's grip on information and causing officials to form a special committee to monitor web access. More than 5 million so-called "immoral" and "anti-Islamic" sites have reportedly been blocked. The government has also stated their plan to intensify the filtering of various sites.
Mohabat News, which serves Persian Christians in Iran and surrounding countries, has been shut down repeatedly in the past year. In February, cyber-attacks shut down the site for two days. On August 19, attackers overloaded the server and forced the site down for three days. Managers of Mohabat News were eventually able to transfer the website onto a more secure server operating outside the country. Other such sites, however, are not able to operate from an outside server, raising fears that they will continue to be vulnerable to attacks.
Pray that the attacks on Mohabat News and other such sites will cease. Pray for courage and wisdom for those involved in raising a voice online for suffering Iranian Christians. Pray that a spirit of unity and faithfulness will govern the Church in Iran as believers face opposition. Pray that the Word of the Lord will continue to touch many hearts in Iran.
To learn more about the trials facing Iranian Christians, go to the Iran Country Report.
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