U.S. pastor sentenced to 8 years in Iran
An undated photo of Pastor Saeed Abedini. / Facebook
An American pastor who has been jailed in Iran since September has been sentenced to eight years in prison, the U.S. State Department said Sunday.
Spokesman Darby Holladay said the department is calling on Iran to respect Saeed Abedini's human rights and release him.
Earlier this month, Iran's semi-official news agency, ISNA, quoted Abedini's attorney, Nasser Sarbazi, as saying his client stood trial in the Revolutionary Court on charges of attempting to undermine state security by creating a network of Christian churches in private homes.
The pastor, who is of Iranian origin but lives in Boise, Idaho, has rejected the charges.
"Mr. Abedini's attorney had only one day (Jan. 21) to present his defense, so we remain deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of Mr. Abedini's trial," Holladay said.
Following the court presentation, ISNA quoted Sarbazi as saying the court would issue its verdict later, and that Abedini would be allowed to leave Iran and meet his family in the U.S. after posting bail.
"The promise of his release was a lie," said the pastor's wife, Naghmeh. "With today's development, I am devastated for my husband and my family. We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is safely on American soil."
Her comments were provided by the Washington-based American Center for Law and Justice, which focuses on constitutional and human rights law around the world. The center is representing the pastor's family in the United States.
Holladay said the State Department is in close contact with Abedini's family and actively engaged in the case. Abedini and his wife have two children.
"We condemn Iran's continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion," Holladay said.
Tehran has repeatedly accused the United States and Britain of seeking to provoke unrest in a bid to oust the country's clerical rulers, and has frequently accused opposition figures and supporters of being in league with the nation's enemies.
A recent press crackdown reflects Iran's zero tolerance for those who work with dissident media or outlets deemed as unfriendly or hostile.
In recent years, Iran has denounced Voice of America and the BBC's Persian service, describing them as arms of U.S. and British intelligence agencies, and has warned of severe repercussions for Iranian journalists and activists caught having contacts with these outlets.
On Monday, several chief editors of Iranian outlets said 11 journalists have been arrested, accused of cooperation with foreign-based, Persian-language media organizations.
The chief editors of the arrested journalists told The Associated Press that the 11 were taken into custody late on Sunday because of their "foreign contacts." The editors, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of fears of reprisals, refused to say if the detained were accused of providing material specifically to BBC or VOA.
The arrests followed last week's warning by State Prosecutor Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehei who said journalists who are in contact with "hostile foreign media" would be punished. Ejehi described such reporters as "serving the enemy's purpose."
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Iran is a good example what happens when perversely conservative religious zealots (yes, you can read Tea Party in that statement) take over government. For those who complain about different religions in America, and our "liberal" free press that doesn't publish new stories the way the politicians write them, just look to Iran because that's your role model for denying freedom of religion and press.
Saeed Abedini was trying to convert Muslims into Christians in Iran.
There is no lower form of life than a cleric who refuses to accept the choices of any human and tries to convert their religion.
The possibility of Saeed Abedini returning alive is far too lenient.
Evangelism is divisive and fails to respect the most basic human right.
I have never met an evangelist without a hidden agenda.
There are people out there who take their faith so seriously, they are willing to die for it. I applaud his bravery and his conviction to spreading the word of God. God be with him and his family during this trying time.
Want peace and plenty? Get religion out of politics and religion.
Religion poisons everything, especially governments.
What I am not so willing to believe is Iran has busted this chap simply because he's preacing a heretical religion. I am sure were Saeed an Albanian, a Finn or a Uraguyan he'd be left alone. After all he was merely ministering in the homes of those already Christian. No, Khameni and his lap-dog, Ahmadinejad want something they think the United States can deliver and are using the unfortuante Saeed Abedini as a bargaining chip.
This has nothing to do with S.A's Christian beliefs but has everything to do with a ruling elite that knows it is not too popular right now and is attempting to consilidate power they probably should never have had to begin with.