An Iranian state television website reported Saturday that Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, US hikers, have been sentenced to eight years for their “illegal entry” into the Islamic Republic of Iran and “espionage.” Fattal and Bauer have been awaiting sentencing in an Iranian prison for more than two years.
Sarah Shourd, the third hiker, was freed to return home on $500,000 bail in September 2010 due to humanitarian and medical grounds. Her case is reported to still be open for review by officials.
The group of three hikers started out on July 31st, 2009 for a nature hiking holiday from the city where they were each working and studying. After the first night they called Shawn McFessell, a friend that had become ill shortly before the trip, with positive attitudes about the trip. But several hours later he received another call from them saying they were being taken into custody after hiking into the border of Iran.
Al Jazeera reported, “The three claimed they were hiking in Iraq’s northern province of Kurdistan when they innocently strayed into Iran.”
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We continue to express our hope that the Iranian authorities will exercise the humanitarian option of releasing these two young men.” Congressman Trent Franks of the Arizona second district reacted, "These hikers' final sentence was not a court ruling; it was a political decision that came directly from Iran's violently anti-Western leaders, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and 'Supreme Leader' Ali Khamanei."
After the verdict, Fattal and Bauer's lawyer filed an appeal for the ruling Sunday in hopes of the court granting mercy upon them during their holy month of Ramadan. The Iranian court could deliberated for a couple of days or a few months to come to a decision.
Sarah Shourd, the third hiker, was freed to return home on $500,000 bail in September 2010 due to humanitarian and medical grounds. Her case is reported to still be open for review by officials.
The group of three hikers started out on July 31st, 2009 for a nature hiking holiday from the city where they were each working and studying. After the first night they called Shawn McFessell, a friend that had become ill shortly before the trip, with positive attitudes about the trip. But several hours later he received another call from them saying they were being taken into custody after hiking into the border of Iran.
Al Jazeera reported, “The three claimed they were hiking in Iraq’s northern province of Kurdistan when they innocently strayed into Iran.”
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “We continue to express our hope that the Iranian authorities will exercise the humanitarian option of releasing these two young men.” Congressman Trent Franks of the Arizona second district reacted, "These hikers' final sentence was not a court ruling; it was a political decision that came directly from Iran's violently anti-Western leaders, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and 'Supreme Leader' Ali Khamanei."
After the verdict, Fattal and Bauer's lawyer filed an appeal for the ruling Sunday in hopes of the court granting mercy upon them during their holy month of Ramadan. The Iranian court could deliberated for a couple of days or a few months to come to a decision.
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