Pastor Saeed Abedini “Shaken” after Witnesseing Six Fellow Prisoners Beaten and Taken to their Execution

Pastor Saeed Abedini “Shaken” after Witnesseing Six Fellow Prisoners Beaten and Taken to their Execution

 

By Jeremy Reynalds, Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service (jeremyreynalds@gmail.com)  

 

WASHINGTON D.C.  (ANS -- March 6, 2015) American Pastor Saeed Abedini endured new torment as fellow prisoners were executed around him.

 

Accoring to a story by Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), Abedini’s family members in Iran were able to once again have a short visit with him at the Iranian prison in which he is being held. 

 

Abedini remains imprisoned - now for almost two and a half years - in one of Iran’s harshest prisons.

 

The same day as the visitation, Iran hung six other prisoners in the same prison.

 

Abedini’s wife, Naghmeh, gave a heart wrenching update. She wrote, “Saeed was quite shaken, as he had to witness six fellow prisoners being beaten and taken to be executed (hanged) that day. It was a hard and dark day having witnessed that, and seeing life being taken. The prison visit was also very hard, as the families of those who were executed were crying and wailing.”

 

Naghmeh Abedini said it was also an emotional visitation, as it is getting closer to Jacob's seventh birthday. Last time Abedini saw Jacob, he was four years old.

 

Naghmeh thanked supporters for their prayers. “She said, “Please continue to pray for Saeed to have the strength to endure in that harsh prison, and that Jesus would continue to meet him there and give him hope. Please pray that this will be the year that Saeed is released.”

 

The ACLJ said that Abedini remains in a very dangerous situation.  Summary executions, inmate violence and beatings are commonplace, particularly in Rajai Shahr prison.

 

Abedini is also in poor health, suffering from internal injuries as a result of prison beatings.

 

After President Obama met with Naghmeh Abedini and her children last month, the ACLJ said it has continued to work with the U.S. State Department as it pressures the Administration not to leave Abedini behind as it conducts negotiations with Iran. 

 

The ACLJ said its team and Naghmeh Abedini met last week with the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, David Sapertsein and his team at the U.S. State Department.  

 

Sekuow said, “We discussed with the Ambassador our ongoing concerns about Pastor Saeed’s health, and Iran's ongoing denial to provide Saeed necessary medical treatment.  Importantly, we implored the Ambassador to do all that he could in his authority to bring Pastor Saeed home.”

 

For more information visit www.aclj.org

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