Showing posts with label Naghmeh Saeed. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Pastor Saeed's Wife Has Strong Words for Iran President Hassan Rouhani - Jay Sekulow with ACLJ

Demonstrators protest Pastor Saeed Abedini's imprisonment. (Facebook)

Pastor Saeed's Wife Has Strong Words for Iran President Hassan Rouhani

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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is publicly holding American Pastor Saeed Abedini and the other wrongfully imprisoned Americans as hostages, demanding ransom for their freedom.

Rouhani told CNN:

"If the Americans take the appropriate steps and set [a number of Iranians in the United States who are imprisoned] free, certainly the right environment will be open and the right circumstances will be created for us to do everything within our power and our purview to bring about the swiftest freedom for the Americans held in Iran as well ...

"If the Americans take the appropriate actions vis-a-vis Iranian citizens who are being imprisoned here, then the right atmosphere and environment will be created for reciprocal action perhaps."

This is an absurd and insulting demand, treating Pastor Saeed—who has committed no crime and is merely imprisoned because of his Christian faith—as a hostage for ransom.

Pastor Saeed's wife Naghmeh emphatically responded:

"My husband is not collateral. He is a father and a man who broke no law. Yet Iran is treating him like a pawn in a game of chess. President Rouhani's demand that America release 19 criminals in exchange for his consideration of releasing individuals like my husband, imprisoned solely for his faith, demonstrates that the Iran of today is no different than the Iran who took Americans hostage during the Iranian revolution.

"The environment is ripe for Iran to demonstrate it is ready to re-enter the global market and international scene of diplomats; it is time to show its good will, to change its image from one of a pariah to a member of the global society who will protect fundamental rights."

As Iran's president prepares to address the United Nation's General Assembly in New York—on American soil—now is the time to garner goodwill on the world stage and release the wrongfully imprisoned Americans. It is time for the U.N. to directly engage and urge Iran to release these wrongfully imprisoned U.S. citizens and allow them to return home—especially Pastor Saeed.

Naghmeh explained the importance of this moment on Fox News recently.

Our team, along with Naghmeh, is currently in New York, engaging with key world leaders and U.N. delegations to increase pressure on Iran, as Iran's president is on U.S. soil—where Pastor Saeed belongs.

Over 1 million have signed our petition for Pastor Saeed's freedom. Please continue building on this momentum as we aggressively fight for his freedom by adding your name today.

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Friday, September 4, 2015

Persecuted Pastor Saeed's Wife and Kids Request Meeting With President of Iran

The picture Rebekka Abedini drew for the Iranian president. (Courtesy/ACLJ)

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

American Pastor Saeed Abedini's wife Naghmeh and their two young children, Rebekka and Jacob, are making an impassioned plea to meet directly with the President of Iran when he comes to New York later this month.

It has been over three years since Naghmeh has seen her husband, Pastor Saeed. After three years of missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and milestones in their children's lives, Naghmeh has a new unique opportunity to fight for the release of her husband, who remains wrongfully imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith.

The 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to open later this month, and the Iranian President and other top Iranian officials will be traveling to New York for the occasion. That's right—Iran's President will be on U.S. soil, where Pastor Saeed belongs.

Naghmeh recently sent a letter to the Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations requesting a meeting with Iranian President Rouhani, Foreign Minister Zarif and the Ambassador himself.

In the letter, Naghmeh writes:

My husband has great love and respect for Iran, and this why, during the three years before his imprisonment, our family has committed to opening an orphanage for young street children. When Saeed returned to Iran in 2012, as he had done so many times, it was to put in place the final board member, a devoted Shia Muslim from Qom. Though we have lived in the United States with our children since 2005, we have been committed to serving some of Iran's most needy.

Yet, for the last three years, our family has greatly suffered in the absence of my husband and my children's father. Saeed is currently being held in Rajaei Shahr prison in Gohardasht. Saeed is not a criminal. Saeed is not a threat to Iran or the stability of its government. Saeed is a husband and a father. Saeed is suffering from internal injuries incurred during his time in prison that Iranian doctors have indicated need surgery and hospitalization, but which he has not yet received.

Her letter concludes:

The purpose of the United Nations General Assembly is to facilitate discussion and decision-making that advances peace and security around the world. Yet, my husband remains in prison for nothing more than the peaceful exercise of his faith. Therefore, it is with the same spirit of diplomacy and decency that governs the annual session of the U.N. General Assembly that I respectfully request a meeting for myself and my legal counsel with President Rouhani, Foreign Minister Zarif and yourself to discuss Saeed's situation. I will make myself available at your convenience.

Also included in the letter to the Iranian Ambassador are these hand-drawn letters from Pastor Saeed's children. Click here to see the photos.

This American family is torn apart. Pastor Saeed was trying to help the neediest Iranians, and instead, he sits tormented in one of the world's most dangerous prisons.

Iran wants to be a part of the international community, and they claim they are entering a new era. Here's their chance to prove it.

Meet with Naghmeh and free Pastor Saeed.

We will continue working for Naghmeh, Rebekka and Jacob to bring their husband and father—Pastor Saeed—home. We join them in urging Iran to meet with Naghmeh when the Iranian delegation is on American soil at the U.N. General Assembly.

We are also urging U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to meet with Naghmeh and Iran's president to put international pressure on Iran to honor its numerous human rights obligations and free Pastor Saeed.

Join our massive letter-writing campaign at the U.N. by writing a letter (or signing ours) at beheardproject.com. It's simple; we have a form you can fill out to write a letter for Pastor Saeed and we'll send it.

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Thursday, March 13, 2014

Pastor Saeed Abedini Pinned Down, Shackled in Iranian Hospital; Refused Surgery

Pastor Saeed Abedini Pinned Down, Shackled in Iranian Hospital; Refused Surgery - CP World

(Photo: ACLJ.org)

U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini in this undated photo.

BY STOYAN ZAIMOV, CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER

March 13, 2014

U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini was reportedly pinned down and shackled on Wednesday at an Iranian hospital, where he was also denied much needed surgery.

"This morning Iranian guards lashed out violently against Pastor Saeed and an elderly relative who had been able to visit him in the hospital. Pastor Saeed was pinned down and shackled. His elderly relative was roughly handled and expelled from the hospital," the American Center for Law and Justice, which represents Abedini's wife and two children in the U.S, stated.

According to the law group, Abedini was moved over a week ago from Rajai Shahr Prison to a private hospital in Iran where he underwent various tests for a deteriorating medical condition and received nourishment. And although he was promised that he would undergo surgery to address chronic pain in his stomach area - the result of numerous prison beatings - Abedini was sent back to the prison without being treated and doctors giving him nothing more than pain medication.

The American pastor's wife, Naghmeh, has been campaigning for his release from Iranian prison since his arrest in July 2012 while working on an orphanage project. Accused of endangering national security, Abedini was later sentenced to eight years in prison. The ACLJ, which has launched numerous petitions on his behalf, says the conviction has more to do with the pastor's Christian faith.

The ACLJ said it believes the timing of the latest incident is suspect, pointing out that the pastor was granted a visit to the hospital when the High Representative of the European Union, Catherine Ashton, arrived in Iran. As soon as Ashton departed the Islamic country, however, Abedini was sent back to prison without receiving the treatment he needed.

"The EU has been faithfully raising Pastor Saeed's case for some time, and this move would allow Iranian officials to report that he was receiving medical treatment if his case was brought up during the EU's visit to Iran," the ACLJ noted.

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"This disturbing turn of events reiterates the need to keep pressure on Iran. As soon as pressure is let up, the situation gets worse. Iran must not be allowed to continue to abuse and mistreat Pastor Saeed out of the public spotlight. The Iranian government is wrongfully imprisoning him and denying him needed medical care because he is a Christian. Each day apart from his family and away from the care of physicians is another human rights abuse."

In January, Abedini was given a "glimmer of hope" for clemency after Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif seemed to suggest a possible reduced jail sentence. ACLJ noted that the Iranian New Year is March 21, "a time when clemency is often granted to prisoners of conscience."

Following outcry from human rights groups and Abedini's wife that the U.S. government had abandoned the pastor, President Barack Obama called on the Iranian government to release Abedini during his National Prayer Breakfast speech last month.

Over 192,000 people have signed a petition calling on Iran to free Abedini.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Obama Administration Betrays Imprisoned Pastor With Iranian Deal

The Obama administration betrayed American pastor Saeed Abedini by reaching a deal with Iran that includes easing sanctions and providing humanitarian relief—a deal that leaves a U.S. citizen behind, imprisoned because of his faith, according to the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which is working to secure his release.

“President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry turned their backs on a U.S. citizen by refusing to secure his freedom before reaching an agreement with Iran,” says Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ. “It is outrageous and a betrayal of American pastor Saeed Abedini, who has spent more than a year in an Iranian prison simply because of his Christian faith. The Obama administration has left Pastor Saeed behind. And by failing to secure his release as a precondition to any negotiations, the Obama administration sends a troubling message to the Iranian government that Americans are expendable.”

The ACLJ sent a letter to Secretary Kerry, urging him to act and noting that “the failure to secure the release and return of Mr. Abedini and the other Americans would be reprehensible.”

Imprisoned for more than a year simply because of his Christian faith, Abedini faces life-threatening conditions in one of Iran’s most dangerous prisons.

Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution calling for the release of this U.S. citizen, and key members of the European parliament wrote a letter raising Pastor Saeed’s case.

And just days ago, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved H. Res. 147, calling for the release of Abedini, allowing it to proceed on to a full vote of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The ACLJ has launched a significant online social media campaign on behalf of Pastor Saeed at BeHeardProject.com.

Abedini is serving an eight-year prison sentence simply because of his Christian beliefs. He has been imprisoned now for more than one year. The ACLJ represents his wife, Naghmeh, and their two children, who live in Idaho.