One Saint
  • Home
  • Jesus Said
    • Matthew
    • Mark
    • Luke
    • John
    • Acts
    • I Corinthians
    • II Corinthians
    • Revelation
  • OS Blog
  • Library
  • MP3s
    • Mystery Babylon
    • Pastors, Ministers and Priests
    • Run from the Devil
    • Miscellaneous Teachings
  • Music
    • One Saint on YouTube
    • Music of Heaven
    • Handel's Messiah
    • Miscellaneous Music >
      • Musical Library I
      • Musical Library II
      • Musical Library III
      • Musical Library IV
      • Musical Library V
      • Musical Library VI
      • Musical Library VII
      • Musical Library VIII
      • Musical Library IX
      • Musical Library X
      • Musical Library XI
      • Musical Library XII
      • Musical Library XIII
      • Musical Library XIV
      • Musical Library XV
      • Musical Library XVI
      • Musical Library XVII
  • Video
    • DR S M Lockridge, Full Sermon
    • Enoch
    • Gospel Of Luke
    • Greatest Biblical Archaeological Discoveries Of All Time
    • King Solomon
    • Leonard Ravenhill
    • One Saint
    • Rabbi Jonathan Cahn
    • Revelation, The Book
    • Roger Morneau
    • Ruth
    • Sermon On The Mount
    • That's My King!
    • The Bride, The Beast & Babylon
    • The Jesus Movie
  • Blog Archive
    • David
    • Askakido
    • Eschatology
    • Annie
    • All Saints
    • One Saint
    • Crown of Life
    • Prayer
  • Links

444 Days of Prison in Iran

12/11/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture










International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241 
Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org  |  E-mail: [email protected]
 
Media Contact: Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East[email protected]
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
444 Days in Iran: Pastor Saeed Still in Prison 

12/12/2013
Washington D.C.

International Christian Concern

International Christian Concern (ICC) continues to call for the release of American-Iranian Saeed Abedini. December 12th marks 444 days since Saeed was taken to an Iranian prison, simply because of his Christian faith. Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) co-chaired a joint subcommittee hearing on Iran's continued persecution of Pastor Saeed. The dangers that Saeed faces in the brutal prison are real and it is crucial that the American people and the American government remain fully engaged to see this father and husband brought home to his family.

Representative Smith said in his opening remarks, "Saeed's case must be front and center in the next series of diplomatic talks with Iran. Time is running out. Naghmeh, Jacob, and Rebekka need their husband and father home. Now!"

It was 444 days ago that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard took Saeed from house arrest, where he had been detained since July 28, 2012. On September 26th, he was transferred to Tehran's Evin prison. As his wife, Naghmeh, stated in her testimony to the hearing, "To learn he had been put in Evin Prison brought flashbacks of family members and friends who had been executed, raped, and tortured in Evin." On January 27th, after a sham trial, Saeed was sentenced to eight years in prison. What was the reason for his imprisonment? He was arrested for "peaceful gatherings of Christians, which the regime views as an act of war," Naghmeh told the hearing today.

Since his arrest, Pastor Saeed's case has received significant attention from the national and international media, by members of Congress, and even, on occasion, from Secretary of State John Kerry and President Obama. While Pastor Saeed has been in prison in Iran, the level of diplomatic engagement between the two countries is at its highest point since the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, when 52 Americans were also held for 444 days.

Despite face-to-face negotiations with Iran at the highest level, Pastor Saeed remains in prison. Representative Mark Meadows (R-NC) voiced a view held by many of the members of the panel, "If they cannot release individuals and others held without due process then how are we to trust them on greater issues?" The view was echoed by Representative Smith, "How can we trust a signature on a piece of paper when they treat an American citizen in such a brutal way?"

The lack of trust and transparency was a theme addressed both by members of the committee and by the witnesses who testified. Representative Ros-Lehtinen said, "We must judge the Iranian regime, not on words, but on actions." She continued, "On the campaign trail they promised reforms on human rights, but these have not happened." Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, vice-chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, testified, "The number of Christians and Bahais imprisoned during his [President Rouhani] short tenure has increased, and there has been a crackdown on Protestant Christians." Daniel Calingaert, Executive Vice President of Freedom House, testified that there have already been a reported 668 executions in Iran this year, and the rate increased after President Rouhani's took office in August.

It is imperative that the United States government continue to press for the release of Saeed. There can be no more "missed opportunities" such as the latest rounds of negotiations in Geneva where Naghmeh said, "I felt abandoned as an American citizen that Saeed's release was not a pre-condition for negotiations." Representative Smith addressed these talks saying, "Every conversation with Iran should have begun with Saeed Abedini and should have ended with Saeed Abedini."

Todd Daniels, ICC Regional Manager for the Middle East, said, "We urge the United States government to redouble its efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of American citizen Saeed Abedini. There should be no further diplomatic negotiations with Iran while they continue to hold American citizens hostage, specifically a man imprisoned for exercising his most fundamental right. Saeed's life is in imminent danger and 444 days is far too long for this family to be separated, simply because of his beliefs. We urge the Iranian government - and President Hassan Rouhanı - to free this father and husband." 

For interviews, contact Todd Daniels, Regional Manager for the Middle East: [email protected]

 
# # #

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference ICC (International Christian Concern) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church.  For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Crown of Life Blog

    Picture
    The Martyrdom of ST Stephen, Pietro da Cortona, 1660

    News and Information about
    Persecuted Christians from all around the
    World

    Persecuted saints benefit most from your heartfelt and earnest prayer.

    Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;
    for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him
    .
    James 1:12

    'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the
    devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so
    that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
    Revelation 2:10

    New American Standard Bible 
    (NASB)

    Copyright © 
    1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971,
    1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995
    by
    The Lockman Foundation


    Picture

    HOW TO READ A PERSECUTION NEWS STORY

    Trials make the promise sweet;
    Trials give new life to prayer;
    Trials bring me to His feet,
    Lay me low, and keep me there.


    "God often takes away our comforts and our privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains His soldiers not in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and subjecting them to forced marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many long miles with heavy backpacks of sorrow. Well, Christian, may this not account for the troubles through which you are passing? Is the Lord bringing out your graces and making them grow? Is it for this reason He contends with you?"

    Read Why Do I Face Trials?,
    by Alistair Begg, Truth for Life Daily, at One Place

    Christian persecution is just a phenomenon in the
    Middle East.

    Christians aren’t greatly
    impacted by persecution.

    Whatever persecution there is, the damage is superficial - more a loss of multicultural diversity than anything else.

    Christians supposedly bring persecution upon themselves by proselytizing.

    Persecution couldn’t
    happen here.

    Please read 5 Myths about Persecution of Christians, by
    Kristin Wright, at Religion Today.


    Share



    email the webmaster

    RSS Feed


    Archives

    January 2018
    November 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012