Washington D.C., Nov 22, 2013 / 12:38 pm
More than 3,000 people used social media on Nov. 21 to call for the release of a pastor imprisoned in Iran, as part of a new campaign to support the pastor, a U.S. citizen and convert to Christianity.
"This represents a tremendous outpouring of concern for Pastor Saeed," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, in a statement.
"It is clear that the power of social media is significant and that thousands of people want to send a message directly to the leadership in Iran: free Pastor Saeed – he is no threat to the security of Iran."
Pastor Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran since September 2012. Charged with threatening national security, he has been sentenced to eight years in jail, although religious freedom advocates argue that his Christian faith is actually responsible for his arrest.