Jordan Sekulow
By Suzanne O'Keeffe, 700 Club Interactive
CBN.com –It was six months ago to the day on March 26th of this year that Pastor Saeed was taken into custody by the Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He was originally on house arrest but was ripped from his home, and what was to have been a six month imprisonment has now become an eight-year sentence. He is in one of Iran's worst prisons known for its brutality, and it is being said that it really is a death sentence.
On March 15, 2013, Jordan Sekulow and Naghmeh Saeed, wife of the pastor, gave testimony at the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress. They spoke of not only Pastor Saeed's plight, but also of those who are Christians in Iran. The purpose was to heighten awareness of Pastor Saeed within the rankings of the U.S. government. While recognizing there has been support of the U.S. Congress, Jordan is let down by the lack of response or interest from our State Department. It has been since July of 2012 when he was "unlawfully detained by the Iranian government...and U.S. authorities were almost immediately notified....only recently that anyone from the State Department or White House has publicly shown any interest." Jordan explained that the level of interest the U.S. government took when the American tourists wandered into Iran and the retired FBI agent who has been missing in Iran is notably different. Those two have been supported from a presidential level. This is not the position being taken here, and Pastor Saeed is suffering unmentionable horrors of torture. The Commission asked the State Department to testify, they refused.
On March 21st, 2013 the U.S. government finally called on Iran to release Pastor Saeed immediately. Ambassador Eileen Chamberlain Donahoe brought the case to the United Nations Human Rights council in Geneva which happens to be the exact place "where the U.S. government failed to specifically address Pastor Saeed's plight at a meeting earlier this month..." Friday, March 22nd Secretary of State John Kerry called for pastor Saeed's release and the right to receive proper medical treatment.
Recently Secretary Kerry said, "I am deeply concerned about the fate of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini, who has been detained for nearly six months and was sentenced to eight years in prison in Iran on charges related to his religious beliefs. I am disturbed by reports that Mr. Abedini has suffered physical and psychological abuse in prison, and that his condition has become increasingly dire. Such mistreatment violates international norms as well as Iran's own laws. I am also troubled by the lack of due process in Mr. Abedini's case and Iran's continued refusal to allow consular access by Swiss authorities, the U.S. protecting power in Iran.
I welcome reports that Mr. Abedini was examined by a physician and expect Iranian authorities to honor their commitment to allow Mr. Abedini to receive treatment for these injuries from a specialist outside the prison. The best outcome for Mr. Abedini is that he be immediately released."
While all have been encouraged that the case is now being addressed by the State Department as well as the cry for other nations to join the cause, it is also recognized it has only been since the congressional hearing, the 5000,000 signatures on a petition demanding for Pastor Saeed's release and the "increasing pressure from Congress and the media..."