Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today led an effort in the House Foreign Affairs committee calling on the Government of Iran to release a U.S. citizen, Pastor Saeed Abedini, or face additional sanctions.
By unanimously consent, the full committee accepted Smith’s amendment to broaden and revise pending legislation, H.Res. 147, introduced by Rep. Bill Cassidy back in April. The updated provisions, which Cassidy supports, reflect new and more serious dangers the unjustly imprisoned pastor faces and help ready the bill for consideration by the full House of Representatives.
“Pastor Abedini has endured beatings, psychological torture and worse because he will not deny his Christian faith,” said Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Smith noted with alarm that Abedini was recently transferred from a prison for political and non-violent inmates to a notorious prison housing hardened criminals, including murderers and rapists. “He is now in a prison where we are very fearful for his life.”
The resolution which calls for the release of Abedini, an Iranian-American and resident of Idaho who has been imprisoned for more than a year, also calls on the United States Government to work aggressively for the quick release of Abedini by designating additional Iranian officials, as appropriate, for human rights abuses pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010.
Smith quoted extensively from testimony given by the pastor’s wife, Naghmeh Abedini, also an America Citizen, at a March 2013 hearing in which she stated their two American-born children, ages 6 and 4, are deeply hurting from their father’s imprisonment: “A day does not go by that they do not long for him. Most nights they cry themselves to sleep, wanting daddy home… it is unfortunate that Christians are the number one persecuted people in the world, but not much attention and effort is taken to protect their religious liberty… because of his love for the Iranian people, including the least of these—the orphans and the widows—Saeed sought new ways to serve the people of Iran.”
Smith noted that Naghmeh had testified in March that she was disappointed that the U.S. government was not doing more to help her husband. “I must tell you that I am disappointed in my government. I am disappointed that our President and our State Department have not fully engaged this case—disappointed that this great country is not doing more to free my husband, a U.S. citizen. Yes, we are both proud to be American citizens. And I expect more from our government.” Smith said the State Department must keep up the pressure to release Abedini.
Pastor Abedini, an American citizen, went to Iran in 2012, on a routine humanitarian mission to complete an orphanage for Iranian children. Pastor Abedini had previously been arrested in Iran, but released and allowed to enter and exit the country for humanitarian aid work if he agreed to cease pastoring house churches. Pastor Abedini upheld his end of but bargain, but was suddenly arrested in September 2012—and put on trial for sharing his religious beliefs and allegedly undermining the security of Iran. During the non-public trial, he and his attorney were barred from participating in key portions of the proceedings—following which a judge sentenced him to eight years in prison. Pastor Abedini’s appeals have been denied.
The resolution also calls on the Government of Iran, including the Ayatollah Ali Khameini in particular, to act consistently with their word and commitments.
“The Government of Iran’s actions toward Pastor Abedini violates its promise of safe passage to him in his humanitarian work,” Smith said. “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.”
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