1. Saeed Abedini is an Iranian American Christian pastor who was imprisoned in Iran in 2012 based on allegations that he compromised national security.
16 Facts About Saeed Abedini
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In 2002, Saeed Abedini met and married his wife Naghmeh, an American citizen.
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In 2008, Saeed Abedini became an ordained minister in the US In 2010, he was granted American citizenship, thus becoming a dual Iranian-American citizen.
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Saeed Abedini lived with his family in Boise, Idaho, where his wife grew up.
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In July 2012, after making his ninth trip to Iran since 2009 to visit his relatives and continue to build an orphanage in the city of Rasht, Saeed Abedini was placed under house arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; his passports were confiscated.
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In mid-January 2013, it was reported that Saeed Abedini would go on trial on 21 January and could face the death penalty.
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Saeed Abedini was charged with compromising national security, though the specific allegations were not made public.
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Saeed Abedini's supporters said his arrest was due to his conversion and attending peaceful Christianity gatherings in Iran.
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On 21 January 2013, Iranian state media reported that Saeed Abedini would be released after posting a $116,000 bond.
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Saeed Abedini was meant to serve his time in Evin Prison.
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In early November 2013, Saeed Abedini was transferred from Tehran to the Rajai Shahr prison in the town of Karaj, which was populated with heavy criminals and was known for placing prisoners in harsh conditions.
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Amnesty International repeatedly raised the issue of Saeed Abedini's imprisonment, calling him a prisoner of conscience and calling upon Iran to release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly.
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Saeed Abedini must be returned to his wife and two young children, who needlessly continue to grow up without their father.
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On 16 January 2016, Saeed Abedini was released from prison.
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In March, 2016, Saeed Abedini appeared on The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck, a pro-Israel TBN show promoting Israeli-American relations.
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Saeed Abedini has stated that interrogators beat him during his imprisonment in Iran.