Imprisoned Pastor Saeed Abedini Receives Death Threats From Islamic State Inmates
Saeed Abedini, the American pastor currently imprisoned in Iran, is reportedly receiving death threats from fellow prisoners who are members of the Islamic State jihadist group.
The American Center for Law and Justice, the legal group representing Abedini's family, said in a press release Wednesday that fellow inmates belonging to the Islamic State, an al-Qaeda offshoot, are threatening to murder Abedini for his Christian faith. Although Abedini has been moved to a different ward away from the prisoners, he is still regularly taunted by them when they move through the building's halls.
"This is an extremely dangerous development that puts Pastor Saeed's life at grave risk," Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ, said in a press release. "Not only is Pastor Saeed facing threats from Iranian militants who have imprisoned him because of his Christian faith, he now faces new and perhaps even more dangerous threats from Iraqi ISIS prisoners who want to murder Pastor Saeed because of his faith."
"We call on President Obama and Secretary Kerry to intervene immediately to secure Pastor Saeed's release and to ensure that he is protected during this transfer to freedom. Pastor Saeed, who is approaching his second year of imprisonment in Iran, must be returned to his family without delay," Sekulow added.
Abedini is currently serving out his second year of an eight year prison sentence at Iran's Rajai Shahr Prison. He was found guilty in 2013 for alleged crimes of undermining national security, although it is believed he was actually imprisoned due to his Christian faith.
