Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of imprisoned pastor Saeed Abedini, said she has decided to stop the public advocacy to get her husband released from his Iranian prison, citing personal stress on her part.
In a stunning revelation she wrote in two emails sent to her supporters—which she later regretted sending—Naghmeh said her stress is due to her husband's sexual abuse and pornography addiction, Christianity Today reported.
In those emails, Naghmeh said she has bravely fought for her husband's release for the past three years. But now, the ordeal has proved too much for her to bear, stating her distress over "physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual abuse (through Saeed's addiction to pornography)."
"The abuse started early in their marriage and has worsened during Saeed's imprisonment," she wrote. Christianity Today reported that Naghmeh, who has kept in touch with her husband through phone calls and Skype, will also be giving up her social media accounts to privately heal from her personal struggles.
"It is very serious stuff and I cannot live a lie anymore," she wrote. "So, I have decided to take a break from everything and seek the Lord on how to move forward."
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), which represents Saeed and has consistently fought for Saeed's rights, remains committed to securing the pastor's freedom despite Naghmeh's recent admission.
The ACLJ told CBN News that Naghmeh regretted sending the emails, and that she only did so because she was "under great psychological and emotional distress."
"In recent days, Naghmeh—Pastor Saeed's wife—has revealed that she is dealing with some very serious personal issues inside her family. She has asked for privacy and prayer. We are respecting her request. The ACLJ will not have any comment on the personal issues that she is addressing," the ACLJ said in a statement.
"What we are focused on is this: bringing home an American pastor who has been wrongly imprisoned in Iran because of his faith. We know that Pastor Saeed remains in grave danger in prison where he continues to be beaten and psychologically abused by Iranian guards and remains in need of medical care," the ACLJ said. "We continue to pray for Naghmeh, Pastor Saeed, and their family. We will continue our work—in this country and abroad—to secure the freedom of this U.S. citizen."
For her part, Naghmeh said she will be "taking time off to heal and to rest," and she will be spending as much time as she needs with her children.
"I would appreciate for those who care about Saeed and our family to give us time for rest and healing and to respect our privacy," she said. "I will continue to pray for my husband's release and advocate for him as he suffers in an Iranian prison for his Christian faith. I would also ask others to join me in continuing to pray for his release."