Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

American pastor still imprisoned in Iran

Details

  • Description

    What can be done to secure his return to the US?

  • Duration 3:30
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Sort of a growing part American -- remains locked up inside Iranian prison his alleged crime to question.

And despite pleas from his family and attempts at making bail reverence I mean -- been.

This isn't the first time this kind of abuses happened the American Center for Law and Justice was instrumental in helping to free another pastor used -- not a Connie.

He's in -- -- and pastor who sat in jail for years.

Joining us now the executive director of the AC LJ Jordan cyclone -- here thank you so much for joining us.

-- -- Let's talk about this pastor who remains in jail he's being held there is simply by the fact that he's a Christian.

That's basically it he -- -- is 32 years old.

He's been in the worst prison the most notorious prison in Tehran to be in prison.

Since September he was picked up in July on the Iran -- -- a border and put under house arrest his whole family is under house arrest.

And he's there he's been beaten he's been tortured.

He's -- convert from Islam and that's public people know that and he's had trouble -- in the past because of his faith because he -- -- most -- But he made an agreement would be running governments.

That he would no longer run these house churches.

If you could still visit Iran he'd he'd become a US citizen a couple of years ago he had moved to the United States back in 2005.

But since 2009 he's been to Iran nine times he runs a a orphanage there it's not a Christian orphanage Owens being converted.

But this time the -- revolutionary guard got involved so he was and he's been interrogated he's being treated.

Like a national security threat.

That is the same kind of charge that was that Iran tried to Levy against pastor Yousef not a party those charges.

Our long term jail -- -- if you survive or death in -- you speak out so -- this is an American citizen.

Our State Department yesterday who might -- get a good news has at least acknowledge that now that he is there and and so that's a good first step.

It's a good first up -- why it takes a longer -- technology that he was there.

There is always a situation here -- these stories I have to think Fox News because.

This -- broke the story with the information so that we got that attention and people started talking about asking the State Department.

But if that decision you make as we represent the family here in the United States.

His wife his two kids here in America they're not in Iran and she was visiting -- rest -- his family.

We have to make that decision of when is it now in a situation where he's -- enough risk.

That we have to put his name out there publicly and ask because you know you you try to do as much as possible UK and before drawing attention you know we don't do this just to draw attention on Christian persecution Iran we know that when we put his name out there.

If his family who's under house arrest in Iran.

That things -- -- so it's all about timing I think now we have to work with our State Department work with -- members of congress it's not a partisan issue it's not an issue even if you're not a Christian you should understand -- people should have freedom of religion.

And it's one that we have to come together on.

Because it's not just to Christians being persecuted Iran which unfortunately there are thousands upon thousands who are who were hidden -- -- -- treated this way.

But this is -- one of our own an American citizen sitting in the worst prison in Tehran.

-- really a tragic situation.

And one that we're going to be following very very closely thank you so much for joining us today.

They threaten him.

Load More