Baptist Press - Iran Nuclear Deal Bypasses Imprisoned Pastor

BPNews.net

As western powers prepare to ease economic sanctions against Iran as part of a new nuclear non-proliferation treaty, human rights activists say leverage for prisoners of faith is being undercut.

An unnamed human rights advocate and researcher who monitors Iran for Christian Solidarity Worldwide told Morning Star News his colleagues in different human rights groups were concerned when they learned human rights had not been part of the negotiations with Iran, specifically about prisoners of faith. In the quest to obtain some sort of agreement with the Iranians, they said pursuit of basic rights for Christians and other religious minorities was set aside. . . .

Tiffany Barrans, international legal director for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), a legal group advocating on behalf of imprisoned U.S.-Iranian pastor Saeed Abedini, said negotiators "didn't use the opportunity and leverage they had right in front of them.". . .