Saeed Abedini
Saeed Abedini (Persian: سعيد عابدينی, born 7 May 1980) is an Iranian American Christian pastor who was imprisoned in Iran. He was detained in Iran in the summer of 2012 and initially incarcerated in Evin Prison in September 2012. On January 27, 2013, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, reportedly on charges of undermining national security through private religious gatherings in Christian homes in Iran in the early 2000s. In November 2013, the Iranian government transferred Abedini to Rajai Shahr prison, just outside Karaj, Iran.
On January 16, 2016, he was released from prison with 2 other American prisoners. Abedini, a naturalized American citizen, reportedly has dual-citizenship, with the US and Iran. Iran, however, does not recognize his American citizenship.
Background
Abedini is an American and a former Muslim who converted to Christianity in 2000. While Christianity is recognized as a minority religion under the Iranian constitution, Muslim converts to Christianity suffer discrimination at the hands of Iranian authorities. In particular, such converts are disallowed from worshipping with other Christians in established Christian churches, which has led to the establishment of so-called "house" or "underground" churches where these converts can worship together.
