Risch seeks answers on pastor's release
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May 15, 2013 |
U.S. Senator Jim Risch quizzed State Department
officials during a Senate Foreign Relations
Committee hearing today on the latest efforts to
secure the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini.
The Boise pastor has been sentenced by the
Iranian government to eight years in prison for
spreading Christianity. He had been in Iran
working to build an orphanage and visit family.
Acknowledging the difficulty the United States
government has in dealing with the issue since
there are no formal diplomatic arrangements with
Iran, Risch pushed to keep up efforts to secure
Abedini’s release.
“On behalf of Idahoans I want to communicate to
you how incredibly important this is to us and I
want to enlist you, as I know you have done, to
make every effort you possibly can to secure his
freedom,” Risch said at the hearing.
Abedini is one of three Americans being held in
Iran. Abedini was placed under house arrest in
June, 2012, put in prison in September and
sentenced to Evin prison for eight years in
January, 2013.
His wife, Naghmeh, and children live in the
Boise area.
A YouTube video of Senator Risch’s questions and
the State Department response can be seen in
this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tXhvmvpFQk&feature=youtu.be.
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