CNA News - Iran Rejects Appeal from Imprisoned US Pastor
By CatholicNewsAgency.com
Calls for U.S. action continue after an Iranian court rejected an appeal from Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, an American citizen imprisoned in Iran for his religious work in the country. “The news out of Iran is devastating to our family,” said Naghmeh Abedini, wife of the pastor, in an Aug. 26 statement.
“From past cases, we know that the decision to release my husband lies solely at the mercy of the Supreme Leader,” she added. “It is imperative in the coming days, weeks, and months that we remain vigilant to call for Pastor Saeed's release. This includes continuing to put pressure on Iran from the U.S. government and governments around the world.”. . .
Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice – which is representing Abedini’s family in the U.S. – explained that while “we remained hopeful that Iran would use its own appeal process to finally show respect for Pastor Saeed's basic human rights, again Iran has demonstrated an utter disregard for the fundamentals of human rights.”. . .