This week will mark the third anniversary of Iranian American Pastor Saeed Abedini's imprisonment in Iran for allegedly "threatening the national security" of Iran by practicing Christian faith. The fight to free Saeed will continue in the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which will also be attended by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned American Pastor Saeed Abedini, spoke before some 100 parliamentarians from almost 50 countries who had come together to raise the issue of religious freedom, before the UN assembly meets again this weekend in New York.
Abedini urged the world leaders to fight to save Pastor Saeed, and presented them with a letter calling for his release from the Iran's Rajai Shahr prison, which was signed by 67 of the Parliamentarians.
The signatories committed to stand for Pastor Saeed, and spoke directly to their Iranian counterparts, according to ACLJ. The members also said that they will carry on the battle for his release in their respective countries.
The ACLJ ships over 265,000 letters to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon every day, asking him to collaborate with President Rouhani to ensure the country's compliance to international human rights regulations.
The letter signed by the 67 parliamentarians reads:
"We are alarmed by ongoing reports of violations of this fundamental freedom for religious minorities, including Christians and the Bahá'ís. We respectfully ask you to ensure that all individuals in Iran, be they Muslim, Christian, Bahá'í, Atheist, Zoroastrian, Jew or from another faith, can fully enjoy freedom of religion or belief without fear of violence or discrimination.
We are particularly concerned about Pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been jailed for nearly three years. We understand he has been held in intolerable conditions for merely peacefully exercising his faith in private homes. We specifically request the release of Mr. Abedini, as well as other Christians..."
Iran has levelled fresh charges against Saeed Abedini and interrogated him again this week. He was reportedly abused verbally and physically, as he was tasered even though he currently requires urgent medical attention for his past internal injuries.
"When will this nightmare end? Saeed is not a criminal. Being a Christian and motivated by Christian values to help the poorest and most needy children in Iran should be seen as good for the Iranian society. Hearing that yet again the hardliners in Iran are trying to fabricate evidence against my husband and that he was abused and tasered is almost too much to bear," Naghmeh Abedini said after meeting Saeed in prison recently.
"The times they have moved him in and out of solitary [confinement] and the times they have threatened him, they said, 'You will stay here longer than the eight years and your only key to freedom is if you deny your Christian faith and you return to Islam.' The guards have said that, officials have said that continuously," she was quoted as saying by the Christian Post.
Naghmeh is on a 21-day fast to secure her husband's release from the prison, which ends on 26 September, the day he was taken captive by Iran three years ago.
