Fight to Free American Pastor Saeed “Gaining Momentum”

Pastor Saeed’s story continues to spread as new outlets cover his story.  Recently, CNN interviewed Pastor Saeed’s wife and I (which you can watch above), and now USA Today is running an in-depth piece on his persecution in Iran.

Efforts to win the release of an American pastor held in a notorious Iranian prison got a boost from comments by Secretary of State John Kerry that gave a nod to U.S. allies to quietly intervene, the pastor's wife and supporters say.

Saeed Abedini, 32, a native of Iran who became a naturalized American citizen in 2010, is serving an eight-year sentence. Iranian authorities said he threatened the country's national security by helping to found "house churches" for evangelical Christians in Iran, said Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, which represents Abedini's wife, Naghmeh.

Kerry's statement gave "a kind of green light" to U.S. allies that have diplomatic relations with Iran to push Iran to release Abedini or get him medical treatment, Sekulow said. "Since the Kerry statement, that work is finally beginning to be done. It's a good sign."

As USA Today noted, the “movement to free him is gaining momentum.”

Despite the fact that we know Pastor Saeed’s trial was a sham, preventing him and his attorney from attending the second day as his trial continued in secret, Iran blatantly distorts this fact.  The article notes:

Alireza Miryousefi, spokesman for the Iranian mission to the United Nations, said Abedini was tried as any Iranian citizen with a competent legal defense. He did not respond to a question about how Abedini's behavior threatened the Iranian state.

Yet, the fact that Iran’s mission to the U.N. is acknowledging his trial and conviction is a positive development as we have also learned that Iran’s mission requested Iran’s top appeals court officials to review Pastor Saeed’s case.

Representative Chris Smith (NJ) told USA Today:

“No administration, even dictatorships, wants to be subjected to any kind of embarrassment," Smith said. "When issues are prioritized by the United States, it makes a difference. ... It works with radical Islamic regimes. It worked with the Soviets and with Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler."

Congressman Smith is exactly right, and it is why we are not letting up the pressure.  The radical Islamic Republic of Iran cannot be trusted until it shows a willingness to cease violating this U.S. citizen’s human rights and release him to his family in America.

As I stated, Pastor Saeed has written that he is not getting the same medical attention as other inmates simply because he is a Christian, because to them, he is unclean.

As his wife, Naghmeh, stated, “Some days I'm afraid if we don't move fast enough, he will lose his life there.”

We must continue fighting for Pastor Saeed’s freedom.  Time is of the essence.

Next week we will be beginning a new international campaign where you will have an opportunity to share your support not only about but to Pastor Saeed.  Learn more about this new effort here, and continue reading the rest of the USA Today article here.