Contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741

BOSTON, Aug. 18, 2015 /Standard Newswire/ -- Activists to travel to Martha's Vineyard and Boston to challenge President Obama and Secretary Kerry to work for the immediate release of Pastor Saeed.

The project is part of the #orangejumpsuit campaign which encourages people to stand in solidarity with the persecuted church worldwide.

The campaign calls for Congress not to support any Iranian nuclear deal while Pastor Saeed is imprisoned.

Here is a national news story and editorial about #orangejumpsuit:
www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/05/01/it-time-for-all-us-to-stand-in-solidarity-with-persecuted-christians.html

The group will have a news conference and public witness in front of the home Secretary of State Kerry on Wednesday, August 19, at 12:00 P.M.

That address is 19 Louisburg Square, Boston.

On Thursday, August 20, the #organgejumpsuit campaign will be traveling to Martha's Vineyard in an attempt to speak to President Obama about securing the immediate release of Pastor Saeed.

Some of the members of the group will be wearing orange prison jumpsuits with Pastor Saeed's name on it.

Pastor Saeed is Iranian born American citizen who was given an 8 year prison sentence in Iran for his Christian faith.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Washington, D.C. Based Christian Defense Coalition and founder of the #orangejumpsuit campaign, states;

"When the Obama Administration negotiated the Iranian nuclear deal, they tragically failed to secure the release of Pastor Saeed and three other American citizens imprisoned in that country. While Congress and the American public debate the merits of this agreement with Iran, there is no debate that President Obama failed to stand for religious freedom and human rights by leaving Pastor Saeed to be brutalized every day for his Christian faith.

"We encourage President Obama and Secretary Kerry to embrace the universal principles of freedom of religion and speech and secure the immediate release of Pastor Saeed. We would also encourage the members of Congress not to support any deal with Iran while an American pastor is being brutalized in that country for his Christian faith.

"Sadly, President Obama missed an historic teaching moment when his Administration sat face to face with Iranian officials for the first time in over 30 years and failed to negotiate the release of Pastor Saeed. What a powerful message would have been delivered to the Iranian government concerning religious freedom and human rights, if the President made it clear that no nuclear deal would move forward while an American pastor was being persecuted for his faith."

#orangejumpsuit also wants to remind President Obama that while he enjoys a beautiful family vacation with the First Lady and their two children, Pastor Saeed is being brutalized in a harsh prison cell separated from his wife and two children.

For more information or interviews contact:

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741

You may also follow Rev. Mahoney's events live on the App Periscope by going to twitter.com/revmahoney.