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Iran sentences American Pastor to eight years

By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

TEHRAN, IRAN (Worthy News)-- An American pastor already imprisoned in Iran for evangelizing was sentenced Sunday to eight years in prison for attempting to entice Iran's youth away from Islam through his network of underground house churches.

Pastor Saeed Abedini was officially sentenced in Tehran by “hanging judge" Pir-Abassi for undermining the Islamic Republic and threatening its national security; he will serve the sentence in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, according to Fox News.

“This is a real travesty: a mockery of justice,” said Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director of the American Center for Law and Justice who represents Saeed’s family living in the U.S. “From the very beginning, Iranian authorities have lied about all aspects of this case, even releasing rumors of his expected release. Iran has not only abused its own laws, it has trampled on the fundamentals of human rights. We call on the citizens of the world to rise up in protest. We call on governments around the world to stand and defend Pastor Saeed.”