Naghmeh Abedini to Speak at Twin Falls Church Sunday

TWIN FALLS • Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini, will speak at 10 a.m. at The River Christian Fellowship, 4002 N. 3300 E. in Twin Falls.

Naghmeh will be giving an update on her husband.

On Feb. 25, she spoke at the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy.

Saeed is serving an eight-year sentence in Iran after being convicted of trying to establish a Christian church network in private homes. Earlier this week, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) reported, that the European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ), had the opportunity to present Saeed’s case before the U.N.

“Not only were our representatives able to bring up Pastor Saeed’s case by name and call for his release, we were able to do so at a session dedicated specifically to Iran’s human rights abuses,” reported the ACLJ. “Representatives of the Iranian government were there and heard first hand about Pastor Saeed’s case.”

The ACLJ represents Naghmeh and her two children.

In an interview last month with CNN, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was asked about Saeed.

“We have various clemency measures in Iran that can be introduced, happened in the past, can be introduced again in these cases,” Zarif said. He went on to say, however, that he would not decide on clemency. “That is something for the judiciary to decide,” he told CNN.

Naghmeh said last month that the Iranian New Year on March 21 may bring good news, because historically that’s when Iran releases prisoners.

“If anything, that would be the time they do it. If not, we’ll just go from there,” Naghmeh said in Febuary.

“We are praying that he will be part of the names that are released,” said Naghmeh’s supporter and friend, Merrily Hagerman, of Yucca Valley, Calif. “We don’t know if that’s what’s going to happen here. If it’s happening, it’s going to be happening soon.”

By Tetona Dunlap - [email protected]