His "crime"? He's a Christian. He's to stand trial tomorrow before the notorious "hanging judge."
From the Family Research Council:
While
people stream into Washington on Monday to celebrate one of freedom's
greatest spectacles--the inauguration--another American will be sitting
in an Iranian courtroom wondering if he'll hang for his faith. At 32,
Pastor Saeed Abedini was just getting settled into his family life with
his wife and two children in Idaho, when he took a trip home to Iran
that not only changed his life--but may end it. The former Muslim, who
converted to Christianity 13 years ago, was home for a humanitarian
mission when he was pulled off a bus and arrested. Authorities claim his
conversion has "endangered" the national security of Iran. After four
months of unspeakable brutality, the Iranians set a trial date of
January 21 in a court headed by a man many have nicknamed "the hanging judge."
Pastor Abedini's wife and his attorney have pleaded for help from the U.S. State Department, but officials insist their hands are tied because Iran doesn't recognize Abedini's U.S. citizenship--an excuse that Congressman Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) finds ridiculous. "Let me be clear: under no circumstances should the U.S. State Department allow Iran to determine who is or isn't a U.S. citizen and who the U.S. should protect," he said.
Meanwhile, a dozen senators, led by Sens. James Risch (R-Idaho) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) have sent a letter to Secretary Clinton urging the agency to intervene. "We should not stand idly by while the Iranian regime arbitrarily persecutes a U.S. citizen who has committed no crime," they write. Still, the State Department has been relatively mute. This is exactly the kind of apathy that Congressman Frank Wolf condemned in his letter to hundreds of American church leaders. "The Church globally is under assault. Our response must not be to simply sing more loudly thereby drowning out the cries for help from our brothers and sisters. Rather we must speak out, advocate and act on their behalf."
The White House is at least attempting to speak out before Pastor Abedini's trial. Earlier today, the President's team finally released a statement saying that it "remains troubled the case of U.S. citizen Saeed Abedini, who was arrested by Iranian officials more than three months ago on charges relating to his religious beliefs. We call upon Iranian authorities to release him immediately." With your help, we can make sure they put action behind their words.