U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini has been sent to solitary confinement in Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran, raising concerns for his deteriorating health, family members have confirmed.

Abedini, who is suffering from internal bleeding and problems with his kidneys, and nine other inmates have reportedly been placed in solitary confinement. Although in need of medical help, the pastor has not received any, and his condition seems to be getting worse, the American Center for Law and Justice said in a statement.

"Saeed has internal bleeding and now issues with his kidneys because of the beatings," revealed his wife, Naghmeh. more >>

U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is currently suffering from internal bleeding in Iranian prison, said that he is praying for America in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and left over 200 injured last week.

"Pastor Saeed told family members he had heard about the terrorist bombings in Boston on the prison radio, expressed his concern, and told them he is praying for the victims and their families during this very challenging time for our nation," the American Center for Law and Justice revealed on Monday.

The law group, which is representing Abedini's family back in America, noted that the pastor has been allowed a brief visit with his family in Evin Prison in Tehran, where he has been kept since his arrest in September 2012. He was sentenced in January to eight years in prison for "endangering national security," but the ACLJ says that all he was doing was building an orphanage for children in Iran. more >>

The American Center for Law and Justice received news that U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini has been severely beaten in Evin Prison in Tehran, denied proper medical care, and experiencing fainting spells.

"Pastor Saeed reported today that last week he was severely beaten when the prison officials took him to the hospital. During the weekly prison visit today, Pastor Saeed's family reported that his physical condition is worsening – seeing first-hand the marks and symptoms left by the recent beating. These beatings and the internal injuries are causing Pastor Saeed frequent fainting spells," the law group, which is representing Abedini's wife and two children back in America, revealed in a statement on Monday.

The Iranian-born pastor, who converted to Christianity and was building an orphanage for children when he was arrested in Tehran last year, was sentenced to eight years in prison in January for "endangering national security." The ACLJ called that a "sham trail," however, noting that the real reason behind Abedini's sentence was his faith. more >>

Iranian authorities have posed U.S. Pastor Saeed Abedini with an ultimatum to deny Christ, or spend more time in prison.

"Deny your faith in Jesus Christ and return to Islam or else you will not be released from prison. We will make sure you are kept here even after your 8 year sentence is finished," the authorities said, according to a letter by Abedini  that was recently obtained by the American Center for Law and Justice.

The pastor, who was sentenced to eight years in January in what the law group says was a "sham trial" that targeted him for his Christian faith, had earlier shared of some of the abuse he faced in prison in a letter to his wife, Naghmeh Abedini, and their two children. He has stated that he will not abandon Christ in the face of such persecution. But the newly released letter reveals the specific threats the authorities have made against him in Evin Prison in Tehran. more >>

Naghmeh, the wife of American Pastor Saeed Abedini, who is imprisoned in Iran because of his Christian faith, said she is "very encouraged" by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's public statement calling for her husband's "immediate" release.

"I am very encouraged by Secretary Kerry's statement demanding Saeed's immediate release," said Naghmeh in a statement released by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) on Friday, which is representing the pastor's family in the U.S.

"I am very happy to read that although Secretary Kerry has asked for medical treatment for Saeed, he does not stop there, and states that the best outcome is Saeed's immediate release," she said. "I hope to see more proactive actions from our government. Saeed and I are both proud to be Americans. I am hopeful that this will put more pressure on the Iranian government to act and free Saeed so he can return to our family in the United States." more >>

American pastor Saeed Abedini has sent a troubling letter to his wife, Naghmeh, detailing the beatings and harsh treatment he has been experiencing in Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran.

"My hair was shaven, under my eyes were swollen three times what they should have been, my face was swollen, and my beard had grown," pastor Abedini wrote in a letter obtained by the American Center for Law and Justice, which has been campaigning for his release.

The troubling letter reveals that although Iranian authorities had promised him medical treatment, he has not received it, and in fact has been denied proper care because of his faith. more >>