Pastor Saeed ‘Shaken’ as He Witnessed 6 Fellow Prisoners Beaten and Taken to the Gallows

American Pastor Saeed Abedini faces new torment as fellow prisoners were executed around him this week.

Pastor Saeed’s family members in Iran were able to once again have a short visit with him at the Iranian prison in which he is being held. Pastor Saeed remains imprisoned—now for nearly 2 1/2 years—in one of Iran’s harshest prisons.

The same day as this visitation, Iran hung six other prisoners in the same prison.

Pastor Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh, gave the following heart wrenching update:

Saeed was quite shaken as he had to witness 6 fellow prisoners being beaten and taken to be executed (hanged) that day. It was a hard and dark day having witnessed that and seeing life being taken. The prison visit was also very hard as the families of those who were executed were crying and wailing.

It was also an emotional visitation as it is getting closer to Jacob’s 7th birthday. Last time Saeed saw Jacob he was 4 years old.

Thank you all for praying. Please continue to pray for Saeed to have the strength to endure in that harsh prison and that Jesus would continue to meet him there and give him hope. Please pray that this will be the year that Saeed is released.

Pastor Saeed remains in an incredibly dangerous situation. Summary executions, inmate violence and beatings are commonplace, particularly in Rajai Shahr prison.

Pastor Saeed also remains in poor health, suffering from internal injuries sustained from these prison beatings.

The Obama Administration must do all within its power to bring this wrongfully imprisoned U.S. citizen home to his family in America.

After President Obama met with Pastor Saeed’s wife and children last month, we have continued to work with the U.S. State Department as we pressure the administration not to leave Pastor Saeed behind as it sits at the negotiating table with Iran. 

Last week, our team and Pastor Saeed’s wife met with the U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, David Sapertsein and his team at the U.S. State Department.  We discussed with the ambassador our ongoing concerns about Pastor Saeed’s health and Iran’s ongoing denial to provide Saeed necessary medical treatment.  Importantly, we implored the ambassador to do all that he could in his authority to bring Pastor Saeed home. 

There can be no deal with Iran as it imprisons and torments our own citizens.