Saeed Abedini Asks Why the US and UN Refuse to Condemn Iran's Execution of Christians
Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini, formerly a hostage held in Iran, has condemned the continued mass executions of prisoners in the Islamic Republic, including Christians, and asked why the United States, the European Union and the U.N. are not doing anything to stop Iran.
Abedini posted photos of recently executed prisoners in Iran on Facebook Monday, noting that one of the men put to death was a Christian by the name of Ali Asadi.
"Every Wednesday in Rajaeeshar prison [where] I was for more than two years, [the] Islamic Republic of Iran executes tens of people by hanging them," Abedini wrote.
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"The saddest part of [this] horrible story is U.N., EU and U.S. don't have any active plan to STOP [these] executions," he added, noting that Western leaders regularly shake the hands of Iranian representatives at conferences and continue giving them money, yet know all about the systematic executions that have been going on for years.
Abedini, who spent three and a half years in an Iranian prison for his Christian faith before being released in January, said that the Iranian government might have killed Asadi's body, but vowed that his soul and spirit are "alive forever."
He added that there are a number of prisoners in Iran who decide to become Christians and change their lives around, but all of them are now in great danger because of their decision.
"We need to PRAY for all of them" and for the Iranian regime to change its behavior toward its people and toward Christians, he added.
The pastor argued that "we need to do something about it NOW, tomorrow is too late," when it comes to speaking out for the human rights of prisoners.
He also revealed that he will be speaking at an anti-Iranian government rally on Sept. 20 in New York.
Abedini said that he will never forget his time in Iranian prison and how God saved him, and promised to "never stop fighting for these people."
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and other watchdog groups have detailed the mass executions carried out by the Iranian regime, condemning the "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, including prolonged detention, torture, and executions based primarily or entirely upon the religion of the accused."
The U.N. has also said that Iran continues to execute prisoners without just cause.
"It is regrettable that the government continues to proceed with executions for crimes that do not meet the threshold of the 'most serious crimes' as required by international law, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is State party," Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, said last week, following reports that 12 inmates were set to be executed for drug-related offenses.
Back in July during the National Council of Resistance of Iran rally in Paris, Abedini said that regardless of how grim the human rights abuses in Iran are, faith in God assures that hope remains.
"My presence here proves that each act of resistance will be a victory. A victory for freedom. The message of God in the Bible says that we should resist the face of tyranny," the pastor told close to 100,000 people in attendance.
"We will soon see this rebellion in our country, in our hearts, and in our world, because Jesus Christ is bringing this message. The resurrection of the Iranian people shall arrive very soon," he added.
