Iran convicts Pastor Saeed Abedini to 8 years in prison for ‘evangelizing’
Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, an American imprisoned in Iran on charges of evangelizing, was sentenced Sundayto eight years in prison.
According to the American Center for Law and Justice, Abedini was verbally sentenced in Tehran by Judge Pir-Abassi, known as the “hanging judge,” to eight years in prison for threatening the national security of Iran through his leadership in Christian house churches.
He will serve the time in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, known as one of the most brutal.
“This is a real travesty – a mockery of justice,” said Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director of the ACLJ, who represents Pastor Saeed’s wife and children living in the U.S. “From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release. Iran has not only abused its own laws, it has trampled on the fundamentals of human rights. We call on the citizens of the world to rise up in protest. We call on governments around the world to stand and defend Pastor Saeed.”
“Pastor Saeed and his attorney were shut out of today’s proceedings. Not permitted to attend his own trial. We have been told that the court summoned other pastors to testify today. We do not yet know what was said in court, but we do know that the Iranian government often uses threats and intimidation to get the testimony it wants,” Sekulow added.
This statement from Pastor Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh, after learning about today’s court action:
“The promise of his release was a lie,” said Naghmeh. “We should not trust the empty words or promises put out by the Iranian government. These false hopes amount to psychological torture. You don’t want to trust them, but they build a glimmer of hope before the crushing blow. With today’s development I am devastated for my husband and my family. We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil.”
ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow added:
“Here’s the troubling reality: we have a U.S. citizen, who has been beaten and tortured since his imprisonment last fall, is now facing eight years in Evin Prison, one of the most brutal prisons in Iran. A harsh sentence in a notorious prison – likely facing life-threatening torture and abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime. Simply because of his Christian faith.”
[…] Abedini was sentenced to 8 years in prison for evangelizing last […]