Forgotten | American hikers languish | Iran Jail

http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-hikers-detained-in-iran-are-like-three-rachel-corries-says-friend-1.304974

U.S. hikers detained in Iran are like ‘three Rachel Corries’, says friend

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-10731807

22 July 2010 Last updated at 11:58 ET Help

The mothers of two US hikers arrested in Iran have been making an emotional plea for their release.

Cindy Hickey and Nora Shourd went to the Iranian embassy in London to again ask for their children to be set free.

Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal are all accused of spying and being held in Tehran, without charge.

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2010/06/24/candiotti.iran.hikers.cnn

Report: U.S. hikers seized by Iranian police in Iraqi territory
June 24, 2010 — Updated 1153 GMT (1953 HKT)
(CNN) — The mothers of U.S. hikers held by Iran said a magazine article that contradicts government claims they crossed the border before their arrests is “concerning” and raises many questions.

The article written for the July 12 edition of The Nation cites two witnesses who said they saw members of Iran’s national police force cross the border into northern Iraq to apprehend Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal.

“The witnesses, who followed the Western-looking hikers out of curiosity, say that around 2 p.m. on July 31 (2009), as the hikers descended the mountain, uniformed guards from NAJA, Iran’s national police force, waved the hikers toward the Iranian side using ‘threatening’ and ‘menacing’ gestures,” the article says.

“When their calls were ignored, one officer fired a round into the air. As the hikers continued to hesitate, the guards walked a few yards into Iraqi territory, where they lack jurisdiction, and apprehended them,” according to the article.

Bauer has previously denied government claims that the hikers crossed into Iranian territory.

The Nation: U.S. hikers were seized in Iraq

The witnesses are residents of a Kurdish village in northern Iraq called Zalem, according to the story written by Babak Sarfaraz, a pseudonym for a journalist in Iran. Since the community lies a few miles from the Iranian border, they asked not to be identified, fearing retaliation from Iranian forces, the article said.

The magazine said its reporting was based on a five-month investigation. CNN could not independently confirm the story and a senior State Department official said the agency can’t corroborate the report.

“It was very concerning for me to see the details of this,” Cindy Hickey, Bauer’s mother, told CNN. “It sends a shudder down my spine.”

“All of this is still mysterious,” said Nora Shourd. “This raises a lot of questions for us.”

The three Americans have been held for nearly a year. Their mothers visited them in Iran in May.

Last week, the women said the Iranian government should either prosecute or free the three.

In a statement, the mothers also called for more consular access for their children and for them to be able to call their families.

They also asked that Shourd be moved from solitary confinement.

“Shane, Sarah and Josh have been detained in Iran without due process for almost 11 months, in continued violation of Iranian and international law,” the mothers said.

“To continue to detain our children without regard for their legal and human rights reinforces suspicions that they are being held in a cynical attempt by Iran to exert leverage with the United States. Iran has no legitimate reason at this stage not to release them or move forward with a fair trial in which our children can openly answer any allegations against them.”

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/06/24/iran.hikers/index.html?fbid=a3E0oVW0WCw

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/05/22/iran.hikers.mothers/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/05/22/iran.hikers.mothers/index.html

Hikers’ mothers return to U.S. without children

May 23, 2010 — Updated 1615 GMT (0015 HKT) 

STORY HIGHLIGHT

• Nora Shourd says the women spent about 10 hours over two days with their children
• Mothers requested meetings with Iranian president and ayatollah but nothing materialized
• Hikers Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, were detained in July

Video: US hikers describe life in Iranian jail  

New York (CNN) — The mothers of three American hikers detained in Iran made an emotional return to the United States on Saturday after visiting their children in Tehran for the first time in 10 months.

“The pain of having to leave Tehran without our children is almost more than we can bear,” Cindy Hickey, mother of Shane Bauer, said after the women arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. “Our greatest hope was to bring our children home with us where they belong.

“We will hope and pray that the Iranian authorities will now find it in their hearts to resolve our children’s case and release them without delay.”

Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, were detained in July. Their families say the three accidentally strayed across an unmarked border while on a hiking trip in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Nora Shourd, mother of Sarah, said the women were able to spend about 10 hours over two days with their children — their first real contact with them since their detainment. The hikers made a brief phone call home March 9 and have had access to a few letters and messages sent by relatives, friends and supporters.

“We’re satisfied that our children are being well-treated and extremely relieved to see for ourselves that they’re in reasonable health after their long period of confinement,” Nora Shourd said. “Nonetheless, the emotional strain on them and the loneliness is very difficult and they told us they just cannot understand why they’re still in jail.”

The three Americans have not been formally charged, although Tehran has said they will face trial on espionage charges.

Alex Fattal, brother of Josh, told CNN Saturday that the three hikers are “innocent, they’re innocuous and they need to come home.”

Before their trip, the mothers had requested meetings with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but those meetings did not take place, according to the hikers’ attorney.

The women declined to take questions from reporters gathered at the airport. Laura Fattal, mother of Josh, said, “We are literally exhausted and just too overwhelmed by the emotions of this trip.”

The Forgotten ones | American hikers languish | in Iran Jail |

http://lionpuppyheart.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/forgotten-ones-american-hikers-languish-in-iran-jail/