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Even as Barack Obama continues to make the case for a nuclear agreement with Iran, reports indicate one American imprisoned in the Islamic nation is facing increasingly harsh living conditions.
Saeed Abedini, an American pastor who traveled to his home nation of Iran in 2012 on a humanitarian mission, was arrested shortly before his trip was set to conclude. Charged with the crime of spreading Christianity, Abedini was sentenced to serve eight years in prison and has since been transferred to a more dangerous prison.
Guards and fellow inmates have severely attacked and beaten Abedini on multiple occasions, according to a recent alert by the American Center for Law and Justice. Specifically, a recent interrogation – which could result in additional criminal charges against the prisoner – reportedly concluded with a brutal physical assault.
“During the course of interrogation,” the ACLJ report indicated, “the officers repeatedly used a Taser gun on Pastor Saeed. This new assault is concerning as Pastor Saeed is still being denied needed medical care for injuries sustained as a result of beatings in the past.”
Roughly three years after his arrest, Abedini’s family remains dedicated to securing his return while pressing the Obama administration to intervene on his behalf.
“When will this nightmare end?” Naghmeh Abedini asked about her husband. “Saeed is not a criminal. Being a Christian and motivated by Christian values to help the poorest and most needy children in Iran should be seen as good for the Iranian society. Hearing that yet again the hardliners are trying to fabricate evidence against my husband and that he was abused and tasered is almost too much to bear.”
Criticism of Obama on this issue has hardly been limited to Abedini’s loved ones, though. As Western Journalism has reported, numerous opponents of the aforementioned Iran deal were upset that the release of Abedini and other Americans imprisoned in that nation were not addressed during negotiations.
Should Obama intervene to free Pastor Abedini? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.