John Kerry condemns Iran over imprisonment of American Christian pastor

ICC Note: On the day he was confirmed as Secretary of State, John Kerry condemned Iran for imprisoning Pastor Saeed Abedini, an American citizen, who was sentenced this week to eight years in prison for evangelizing, Fox News reports. “We remain deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of Mr. Abedini’s trial,” Kerry said. “I, along with the U.S. government, condemn Iran’s continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion and call on the Iranian authorities to respect Mr.  Abedini’s human rights and release him.”
By Perry Chiaramonte
01/29/2013 Washington, D.C.  (FN) -On the day he was confirmed as Secretary of State, John Kerry went farther than his predecessor had in condemning Iran for imprisoning an American citizen, a Christian pastor who was sentenced this week to eight years in prison for evangelizing in the Islamic Republic.
Kerry, the longtime Democratic senator from Massachusetts, made the statement in response to a written query from fellow Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who asked if Kerry, as secretary of state, would join the National Security Council’s call for Saeed Abedini’s release.
“We remain deeply concerned about the fairness and transparency of Mr. Abedini’s trial,” Kerry told Rubio. “I, along with the U.S. government, condemn Iran’s continued violation of the universal right of freedom of religion and call on the Iranian authorities to respect Mr. Abedini’s human rights and release him.”
Abedini, a 32-year-old father of two, denied evangelizing in Iran and claims he had only returned to his native land to help establish an orphanage. Authorities pulled him off a bus last August and threw him into the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran.
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“It’s encouraging to see Sen. Kerry condemn Iran and call for the release of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini. His recognition and involvement in Pastor Saeed’s case would send a very strong message to Iran and to the rest of the world – the imprisonment of a U.S. citizen because of his religious beliefs is simply unacceptable,” Jordan Sekulow, executive director for the American Center for Law and Justice, said in a written statement.
“With his confirmation today and his soon-to-be swearing-in, Sen. Kerry has a unique opportunity to put a global spotlight on this case and come to the aid of an American who is facing years of beatings and torture because of his faith,” Sekulow said. “It is our hope that as secretary of state, Sen. Kerry will engage this issue fully and put the full weight of his office behind efforts to free Pastor Saeed.”
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