Rights group calls for release of pastor jailed in Iran

December 13, 2013 - International Christian Concern (ICC) continues to call for the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini a US citizens of Iranian origin. December 12th marked 444 days since Saeed was taken to an Iranian prison, simply because of his Christian faith. ICC, the Washington-DC based human rights organisation that helps persecuted Christians worldwide, said US Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) co-chaired a joint subcommittee hearing on Iran's continued persecution of Pastor Saeed. The dangers that Saeed faces in the brutal prison are real and it is crucial that the American people and the American government remain fully engaged to see this father and husband brought home to his family. Representative Smith said in his opening remarks, "Saeed's case must be front and center in the next series of diplomatic talks with Iran. Time is running out. Naghmeh, Jacob, and Rebekka need their husband and father home –now," he said. It was 444 days ago that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard took Saeed from house arrest, where he had been detained since July 28, 2012. On September 26th, he was transferred to Tehran's Evin prison. (ICC)