Social media campaign calls for pastor’s release from Iranian prison

Last updated on: November 22, 2013 at 7:38 pm by CNA Daily News

Social media campaign calls for pastor’s release from Iranian prison 2013-11-22T19:38:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Washington D.C., Nov 22, 2013 / 12:38 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- More than 3,000 people used social media on Nov. 21 to call for the release of a pastor imprisoned in Iran, as part of a new campaign to support the pastor, a U.S. citizen and convert to Christianity.

“This represents a tremendous outpouring of concern for Pastor Saeed,” said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, in a statement.

“It is clear that the power of social media is significant and that thousands of people want to send a message directly to the leadership in Iran: free Pastor Saeed – he is no threat to the security of Iran.”

Pastor Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran since September 2012. Charged with threatening national security, he has been sentenced to eight years in jail, although religious freedom advocates argue that his Christian faith is actually responsible for his arrest.

Raised a Muslim in Iran, Abedini converted to Christianity in 2000 and became a U.S. citizen in 2010 after marrying a U.S. citizen. He and his wife lived Idaho with their children.

After his conversion, he worked with house churches in Iran. Although the churches are technically legal, he work drew objections from the Iranian government, and he ended it in 2009. Since that time, he has worked solely with non-religious orphanages in the country. He was arrested during a trip to work with the orphanages.

Originally assigned to Evin Prison in the capital city of Tehran, family members have confirmed that Abedini has been moved to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj. This move has prompted concern due to Rajai Sharhr’s reputation for violent prisoners and brutal guards.

The American Center for Law and Justice, which is representing Abedini's wife Naghmeh in the U.S., has been working to raise awareness of the pastor’s plight and increase international pressure on Iran to release him.

A Nov. 21 online media campaign asked supporters to send Twitter messages containing the hashtag "#SaveSaeed" to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, asking them to free Abedini.

The law center confirmed to CNA that 3,500 tweets had been sent by mid-afternoon on the first day of the campaign, and though it started in English, Sekulow announced in a second Nov. 21 press release that “it has been picked up in Iranian media.”

“We hope to see more tweets for Pastor Saeed’s freedom coming from Iranians and people all over the world. These efforts further support that the importance of religious freedom and Pastor Saeed’s freedom is not an issue just for Americans, but the entire world,” he said.

The media campaign is the latest initiative to support the imprisoned pastor. A petition calling for Abedini’s freedom has attracted more than 240,000 signatures, and both U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have also asked for his release, along with the U.S. Senate and members of the European Parliament.

Demonstrations of support for the pastor have been held throughout the United States. In addition, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee voted Nov. 21 on a resolution asking for the quick release of Abedini and calling for the designation of appropriate Iranian officials for human rights abuses as stipulated by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“Pastor Abedini has endured beatings, psychological torture and worse because he will not deny his Christian faith,” said Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.), senior member of the committee, in a Nov. 20 statement. “He is now in a prison where we are very fearful for his life.”

“The Government of Iran’s actions toward Pastor Abedini violate its promise of safe passage to him in his humanitarian work,” Smith continued.

“But it also violates Iran’s official international commitment to respect religious freedom and due process of law, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – when Iran signs something, Iran should live up to it.”

Previous Post

November 22, 2013

Pope: adoration 'most important point' of faith communities

Next Post

November 23, 2013 Priests call Year of Faith a chance to deepen knowledge of God

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the Christian principle about judging by appearances?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Do not judge by outward appearance See clothes first Judge quickly Copy others' opinions