(CNN) The United States condemned the 2008 arrests of Baha'i leaders in Iran Saturday and asked the Islamic Republic to free them.

Iran arrested Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, Vahid Tizfahm, and Mahvash Sabet. They were all convicted of espionage, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the Islamic Republic. They were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

A Plea for the Release of the Seven Imprisoned Iranian Baha'i Leaders from Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi https://t.co/a6H5Em77Kf #BahaiRights — Iran Press Watch (@iranpresswatch) May 13, 2016

"We join the international community in condemning their continued imprisonment and calling upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to release them immediately, along with all other prisoners of conscience in Iran," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement issued on Saturday.

"Furthermore, we call upon Iranian authorities to uphold their own laws and meet their international obligations that guarantee freedom of expression, religion, opinion, and assembly for all citizens," the statement added.

A news release from the U.S. Baha'is said that while the seven leaders were each sentenced to 20 years, their sentences have reportedly been dropped to 10 years.

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