Here is an update on Pastor Saeed Abedini who is currently being
held in an Iranian prison for his faith. From FOX NEWS:
An Iranian court rejected an appeal from Saeed Abedini, the
American Christian pastor held in Iran for his Christian faith, and refused to
reduce the eight-year prison term his supporters believe is tantamount to a
death sentence, according to his family and lawyers.
Abedini, 33, an American citizen who lives in Boise, Idaho, with
his wife and two children, has been held in Iran’s Evin Prison since September,
following his arrest on a bus. His supporters say he has been beaten and
tortured in the prison, and that he was only in Iran to try to start a secular
orphanage.
“While we remained hopeful that Iran would use its own appeal
process to finally show respect for Pastor Saeed's basic human rights, again
Iran has demonstrated an utter disregard for the fundamentals of human rights,”
said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and
Justice, which represents Abedini’s wife and their two children.
“We are exploring all options with Pastor Saeed’s family,
including options in this country and abroad to bring more pressure on Iran
from the U.S. and other countries around the world. The decision is deeply
troubling and underscores Iran’s continued violation of principles of freedom
of religion, association, peaceful assembly and expression.”
Abedini’s attorneys were hopeful that new Iranian President
Hasan Rowhani, who took office this month, would show more clemency in
religious persecution cases. Instead, Abedini's legal team is now more fearful
that the latest legal setback could mean he'll face additional beatings and
abuse inside the notoriously brutal prison.
The decision to reject Abedini's appeal came yesterday from the
Tehran Court of Appeals and was handed down by a two-judge panel that refused
to provide Abedini's Iranian attorney with a written copy of the decision,
according to his attorneys.
One of the judges issuing the decision, Judge Ahmad Zargar, was
previously sanctioned by the European Union for issuing long-term sentences and
death sentences for peaceful protesters.
Abedini, who was first arrested for evangelizing in his homeland
more than a decade ago, claims he was freed and told by authorities he could
return to visit family as long as he refrained from spreading his faith. But
when he went back to Iran last year to help build a secular orphanage, he was
arrested.
“The news out of Iran is devastating to our family,” said Naghmeh
Abedini, who believes her husband's only hope for freedom lies with Iran’s
Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Naghmeh Abedini also expressed disappointment in the U.S.
government.
“My husband is serving eight years in the notorious Evin prison
and facing daily threats and abuse by radicals because he refuses to deny his
Christian faith," she said. "I am extremely disappointed that
President Obama has chosen to remain silent on this critical human and
religious rights case of an American imprisoned in Iran.”
Although President Obama has not spoken out on Abedini's plight,
the State Department, which has no diplomatic relations with Iran, has
condemned his continued imprisonment.
The decision rejecting the appeal comes just one month before
the first anniversary of his imprisonment. Prayer vigils are planned in the
U.S. and around the world for Sept. 26 and a website,www.savesaeed.org has been made to help
spread the word.
