American pastor Saeed Abedini was beaten in his Iranian prison the day after his wife testified before Congress trying to secure his release.
Abedini was assaulted Wednesday June 3 by a fellow inmate at Iran’s Rajai Shahr prison, where he is serving an eight-year sentence for preaching to Iranian Christians, which the Iranian government claims undermined that country’s national security. Abedini has been in captivity since 2012.
Abedini suffered two black eyes among other injuries, according to his American legal representative, the American Center for Law and Justice. Abedini’s reading table was also destroyed by fellow prisoners.
Abedini was beaten in his prison near the northern Iranian city of Karaj just one day after his wife Nagmeh Abedini testified before the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where she appealed for help on behalf of her two children with the incarcerated Christian pastor.
“It is heartbreaking to me and my family that Saeed was again beaten in prison,” Nagmeh said in a statement provided to ACLJ after the hearing, when she heard the news of the beating. “Saeed’s life is continuously threatened not only because he is an American, but also because he is a convert from Islam to Christianity. It’s time to get Saeed home before it is too late.”
President Obama asked Iranian president Hassan Rouhani to release Abedini, but has been unable to bring the pastor home.