{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1d8b9632-f830-4fe5-b3f5-821900ec4cc7", "Resolution Calling for Release of Pastor Abedini Passes Full Senate", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "ID", "Jim Risch", "R000584", "www.risch.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Jim Risch praised the unanimous support for passage of his resolution calling on the government of Iran to immediately release Pastor Saeed Abedini and all other individuals detained on account of their religious beliefs.\r\nPastor Saeed Abedini, a pastor and resident of Boise, was seized by the Iranian government and has been sentenced to eight years in prison for allegedly spreading Christianity.\u00a0 He was in Iran visiting family and working to build orphanages.\r\n\u201cI am pleased the Senate spoke unanimously in calling for the release of Pastor Abedini and detailing the inhumane treatment he has received,\u201d said Risch. \u201cThe government of Iran continues to violate Pastor Abedini\u2019s human rights through his imprisonment and abuse. Pastor Abedini\u2019s only crime is to peacefully exercise his faith and work to help meet the needs of the poor and most vulnerable in Iran.\u00a0 It is past time for Iran to release Pastor Saeed Abedini.\u201d\r\nAbedini is one of three Americans being held in Iran.\u00a0 Abedini was placed under house arrest in June 2012, put in Evin prison in September and was sentenced to eight years in January 2013, and recently moved to a much more dangerous prison and denied family visitation. \u00a0His appeal to the Tehran appeals court was denied in August 2013.\r\nHis wife, Naghmeh, and children live in the Boise area.\r\nThe full text of S Res. 284 can be read online.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.risch.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1d8b9632-f830-4fe5-b3f5-821900ec4cc7"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6932738944888115, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}