U.S. Hikers Still Imprisoned in Iran

Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal have been held without charge for a year © APGraphicsBank

One year ago a trip turned into a nightmare for 3 young Americans when they were arrested by Iranian forces while hiking in the Iraq-Iran border area.  Since then, Shane Michael Bauer, Joshua Felix Fattal and Sarah Emily Shourd, have been held without charge or trial at Tehran’s notorious Elvin Prison in what some suspect is a political ploy.

Though Iranian authorities have alleged that the three planned to carry out “acts of espionage” in Iran, statements by senior Iranian leaders – including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in February 2010 – have suggested that the three may be being detained in order to put pressure on the U.S. government and to extract diplomatic concessions.   Just last month The Nation uncovered that the hikers were in fact seized in Iraq and taken forcibly into Iran.

The fact that Shane, Joshua and Sarah remain detained after a year without any charges is very serious. It is apparent that questioning ended several months ago and the failure to charge them has added to the speculation that Iranian authorities may be holding them as a bargaining chip in Iran-U.S. relations. If this is truly the case, then the continuing detention of these three individuals would amount to hostage-taking and be a very serious abuse of human rights.

The hikers have been detained without access to their family-appointed Iranian lawyer or the Swiss embassy officials who represent US consular interests in Iran. Additionally, they have been denied needed medical attention and contact with their families.

The mothers of the hikers recently met with Amnesty International in our UK office to talk about their long and frustrating campaign to bring the hikers home.  You can watch the video below.

Amnesty International is demanding that Iranian officials release these three U.S. nationals and allow them to leave Iran unless they are to face recognizable criminal charges and be tried promptly according to recognized international standards for fair trial.

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4 thoughts on “U.S. Hikers Still Imprisoned in Iran

  1. I could not imagine the nightmare that these people are going through. My prayers go out to them. However, what were they doing hiking in Iraq during wartime and so close to the border of Iran?

  2. I could not imagine the nightmare that these people are going through. My prayers go out to them. However, what were they doing hiking in Iraq during wartime and so close to the border of Iran?

  3. Nora,

    Today I will lift up your daughter Sarah, and Joshua and Shane in my prayers.
    God gave us authority over the earth, and I am asking him to supernaturally intervene on the behalf of Sarah, Joshua,Shane. Blessed are the angels that ministering to their souls, and that they know the joy of the Lord is their strength, blessed are the angels in the supernatural realm that protect them, thank-you Jehovah Jirah for being more than a provider (the lawyer, doctor, judge, and the provider of food and water), thank you Jehovah Rapha for saturating Sarah in the blood of Jesus, that by your stripes Father God she is healed from and sicknesss or disease that is trying to take authority over her,that cancer is canceled out in Jesus name, and may their minds be renewed and be spiritually uplifted, and let Jehovah Shalom saturate their minds bodies and souls. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the name of the Conquering Lion of Judah that breaks every chain, everytime. Amen.
    Intervene on the behalf of your daughter with prayer, the battle is now the Lords.

    Stay uplifted, believe what you have received, have faith and believe in the unseen, for the unseen things are the things that are eternal, and the things that are seen are the things that temporary. Blessed are the angels in the supernatural realm that are fighting the battle for Sarah, Joshua, and Shane.

  4. Nora,

    Today I will lift up your daughter Sarah, and Joshua and Shane in my prayers.
    God gave us authority over the earth, and I am asking him to supernaturally intervene on the behalf of Sarah, Joshua,Shane. Blessed are the angels that ministering to their souls, and that they know the joy of the Lord is their strength, blessed are the angels in the supernatural realm that protect them, thank-you Jehovah Jirah for being more than a provider (the lawyer, doctor, judge, and the provider of food and water), thank you Jehovah Rapha for saturating Sarah in the blood of Jesus, that by your stripes Father God she is healed from and sicknesss or disease that is trying to take authority over her,that cancer is canceled out in Jesus name, and may their minds be renewed and be spiritually uplifted, and let Jehovah Shalom saturate their minds bodies and souls. In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the name of the Conquering Lion of Judah that breaks every chain, everytime. Amen.
    Intervene on the behalf of your daughter with prayer, the battle is now the Lords.

    Stay uplifted, believe what you have received, have faith and believe in the unseen, for the unseen things are the things that are eternal, and the things that are seen are the things that temporary. Blessed are the angels in the supernatural realm that are fighting the battle for Sarah, Joshua, and Shane.

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