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Posted: 01/28/2013 at 9:39am
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Iranian Judge Sentences US Pastor to Eight Years
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CBN News
Pastor Saeed Abidini, an American imprisoned in Iran for his faith, was sentenced Sunday to eight years in prison.
According to the American Center for Law and Justice, Pastor Saeed was verbally sentenced by Iran's notorious "hanging judge" to eight years. He will serve his time in 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.
Tiffany Barrans, chief international counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice, shared her thoughts about the case on the CBN News Channel's Morning News, Jan. 28.
Sign the petition to free American Pastor Saeed in Iran.
“From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release," he continued. "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,” Sekulow said.
Pastor Saeed and his attorney were permitted to attend just one day of his trial, which began January 21st. They were barred from attending and participating in further proceedings. During his imprisonment, Pastor Saeed has been beaten and tortured raising serious concerns about his medical condition.
Pastor Saeed’s conviction and sentence in the Iranian Revolutionary Court had to be approved at the very top – The Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had to sign off..
After learning about the courts ruling today Pastor Saeed's wife, Naghmeh, released the following statement:
“The promise of his release was a lie,” Naghmeh said. “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," she added.
"With today’s development I am devastated for my husband and my family," Naghmeh said. "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 him imprisonment last fall, 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.”
The ACLJ has been working with the U.S. Government and at the United Nations to generate support for Pastor Saeed. Both the White House and teh U.S. State Department have condemned Iran and called for Pastor Saeed’s release.
Although the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said earlier this month that the administration was troubled over Abedini’s imprisonment.
“We remain troubled by the case of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini, who was arrested by Iranian officials more than three months ago on charges relating to his religious beliefs,” Vietor said. “We call upon Iranian authorities to release him immediately.”
Pastor Saeed, 32, was granted U.S. citizenship in 2010 through marriage to his American wife. He and his wife, Naghmeh, have two children, a 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son.
In 2008, Pastor Saeed became an ordained minister with the American Evangelistic Association. Naghmeh and the children reside in the western United States.
The Iranian government does not recognize his U.S. citizenship and for three years he travelled freely back and forth from Iran until this summer when he was put under house arrest. He was imprisoned in September.
CBN News
Edited by News Room on 01/28/2013 at 9:39am
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Topic: Iranian Judge Sentences US Pastor to Eight Years
