Doubts have been raised as to whether Saeed Abedini was actually subjected to the conditions formerly reported while he was held in an Iranian prison, according to MichaelNewnham.com.
Abedini was imprisoned for more than three years in Iran for his Christian faith. His story was heavily covered by the media, and his wife, Naghmeh, along with Franklin Graham and the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) were outspoken advocates for his release.
However, photos have emerged that cast doubt on the true conditions Abedini experienced while in Iran.
In the photos, Abedini smiles and waves with other apparent prisoners. In another photo, prisoners stand around a table on which a number of cakes and various plates and dishes can be seen.
Although some have said that these photos were a cover-up by Iranian officials, others have expressed concern that they cast doubt on Abedini’s prison narrative.
The media, and Abedini himself, reported that he was subjected to various forms of torture and had even seen fellow prisoners executed. He was also reportedly malnourished.
In Part I of his investigation into the truth of Abedini’s story, Michael Newnham questions whether Franklin Graham, the ACLJ, and Naghmeh Abedini were complicit in propagating a false narrative of Saeed’s imprisonment.
If they were, Newnham speculates, perhaps they did so out of fear that the media would cease to lobby for Saeed’s release if his prison conditions were not dire.
To complicate matters even further, not long before Saeed’s release, Naghmeh revealed that he had emotionally and sexually abused her and that he was addicted to pornography.
Newnham says he will explore this aspect of the story in Part II.
Publication date: July 12, 2016
