Imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini was permitted to see his family, his mother in particular, as part of a “physical visitation” which means there was no barrier and the family could pray and fellowship together.
Saeed has only been allowed a physical visitation twice in two years, writes his wife Naghmeh Abedini. She noted that “Saeed and his mom got to pray together and had a sweet time of prayer and fellowship. Saeed is doing better.”
Secretary of State John Kerry mentioned Pastor Saeed’s jailing in the 2013 Report on International Religious Freedom delivered on Monday.
In Iran, U.S. Iranian citizen Pastor Saeed Abedini remains imprisoned. The Iranian authorities sentenced him to eight years behind bars simply because of his religious beliefs. We will continue to call for his release and we will continue to work for it. And make no mistake: We will continue to stand up for religious minority communities under assault and in danger around the world, from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Baha’is to Ahmadi Muslims.
So we have a long way to go to safeguard these rights. We also have a long way to go when governments use national security as an excuse to repress members of minority religious groups.
Naghmeh and Saeed Abedini – faces of global persecution against Christianity? photo supplied
“I am thankful for Sec. of State John Kerry and our government for becoming more involved with religious freedom issues, especially as it pertains to (an) American citizen, Pastor Saeed, being held captive in Iran and tortured simply for his Christian faith,” Naghmeh writes on her Facebook wall Monday evening.
Saeed received the eight-year jail sentence in 2012 while working on the construction of an orphanage. He has been beaten several times, receiving treatment in hospitals and will need surgury to repair many of his injuries from his imprisonment.
A September 26 prayer vigil will mark the second year of Saeed imprisonment and a global prayer will be unified against the worldwide persecution of Christians.
Naghmeh writes of Saeed: “He had heard about the prayer vigil and is praying and expecting great things as we come together and pray.”
More of the top stories on the plight of Pastor Saeed on The Dispatch – click HERE
Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites.
Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor.
To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON
[…] in danger around the world, from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Baha’is to Ahmadi Muslims,” Kerry stated. Jacob said, “My heart cries because it misses Daddy…It’s crying right […]
[…] in danger around the world, from Jehovah’s Witnesses to Baha’is to Ahmadi Muslims,” Kerry stated. Jacob said, “My heart cries because it misses Daddy…It’s crying right […]