ISTANBUL — Iranian-American pastor Saeed Abedini was sentenced to eight years in Iran’s most notorious prison Jan. 27 for allegedly threatening “national security” by planting house churches years ago.
The verdict came after a week of false promises of being granted bail and fear for his safety in Tehran’s infamous Evin Prison. Iran’s official news agency reported that the state regime had told the pastor he could be released if he posted bail. When his family in Tehran attempted to free him, however, the bail officer turned them away, according to the American Center for Liberty and Justice.
During his incarceration, Abedini faced periods of solitary confinement, repeated physical assaults and intense interrogations, “all while being denied access to legal counsel,” according to a letter members of U.S. Congress sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Jan 15.
The pastor’s wife, Nagmeh Abedini, released a statement after his sentencing. “The promise of his release was a lie,” she said. “These false hopes amount to psychological torture. You don’t want to trust them, but they build a glimmer of hope before the crushing blow.”
She and their two children, a 6-year-old daughter and 4-year-old son, reside in Idaho.
Share with others: