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2009–2011 detention of American hikers by Iran

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On July 31, 2009, three Americans, Sarah Shourd (32), Shane Bauer (28) and Joshua Fattal (28), were detained by Iranian border guards while allegedly hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan. Iran claims the three crossed into Iranian territory,[1] but the three Americans claim they were kidnapped from within Iraq.[2]

Sarah Shourd was released on $500,000 bail by Iran on September 14, 2010, on humanitarian grounds due to her declining health.[3] The trial of the three 'hikers' began on 6 February 2011; Sarah Shourd will not be returning to Iran to stand trial.[4]

In June 2010, an article in The Nation alleged that two villagers said the hikers were accosted by Iranian authorities while they were on the Iraqi side of the border.[2]

The three, anti-war, social justice and Palestinian solidarity activists,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] had been living and active in the Middle East, and were on holiday in Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous region of Iraq free from the sectarian struggle that dominates much of Iraq.[12][13][14] They had been advised of the suitability of the region for a holiday by friends who had been there and through Internet research; and were recommended the Ahmed Awa waterfall, a popular Kurdish tourist destination, by a number of local people whilst they were in Sulaymaniyah.[14] After visiting the waterfall, they continued walking within what they believed to be Iraqi Kurdistan, up to and including the time they were detained by Iranian border guards.[15]

According to the BBC, they were not "publicly charged" with a crime by Iran;[16] but according to the New York Times, they have been held on espionage charges since their arrest.[17]

Their companion, Shon Meckfessel, was not detained, as he stayed behind at the Hotel Miwan in Sulaymaniyah because of a cold. He had intended to join them the following day.

Hikers

Shane Bauer

Shane Bauer, who grew up both in Onamia, Minnesota and San Leandro, California,[18] is a freelance photojournalist and journalist who has worked for Pacifica News Service, Mother Jones, The Nation and other left-leaning media outlets, using his fluency in speaking Arabic.[19]

Sarah Shourd

Sarah Emily Shourd, who grew up in Los Angeles, California,[18] worked in education and social justice in Damascus where she provided educational opportunities to refugees from the war in Iraq and taught English. Shourd was released by Iran on September 14, 2010 on $500,000 bail.[3] Shourd's bail does not require that she remain in Iran, and her case will still go to trial along with Bauer and Fattal. Shourd's mother has said she had been denied treatment for serious health problems, including a breast lump and precancerous cervical cells.[20] In May 2011, Shourd announced that she would not return to Iran for trial, citing acute ill-health.[21]

Joshua Fattal

Joshua "Josh" Fattal, who grew up in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania,[18] an environmentalist and educator, had been from January to May 2009 a teaching fellow for the International Honors Program (IHP)'s "Health and Community" study abroad program. Prior to traveling with the IHP, Fattal lived and worked at Aprovecho in Oregon, USA, exploring and promoting sustainable living practices.

Various media outlets and bloggers have confused Fattal with another Joshua Fattal, a student that has written for the teen supplement of a Jewish paper, the Yeshivah of Flatbush in Brooklyn, New York.[22]

Iraqi Kurdistan

Iraqi Kurdistan is an autonomous Region of Iraq, a federal entity recognized by Iraq. It has a parliamentary democracy with a national assembly consisting of a parliament known as the Kurdistan National Assembly with constitutionally recognised authority over the provinces of Erbil, Dahuk, and Sulaymaniyah, as well as de facto authority over half of Kirkuk province and parts of Diyala and Ninawa provinces.

Detention

Evin House of Detention, where the hikers were held

The exact circumstances of their detention are unknown. They were being held in Evin Prison, with Shourd having been in solitary confinement and allowed out for two 30-minute periods each day to spend time with the other two.[15]

The three detainees were not allowed to communicate with their families until May 2010. Swiss consular officials were able to visit them on September 29 and October 29, 2009 and confirmed they did not appear to have been physically mistreated. The Swiss represent U.S. interests in Iran because the United States has no formal diplomatic relations with Iran.

Mothers of the three applied for visas in January 2010 to visit their sons and daughter and left for Iran in May 2010 after the government granted the visas.[23][24] The three were united with their mothers for two days in May 2010 while remaining in detention.

Since their incarceration, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, who were already in a relationship when they were detained, have become engaged.[25]

Iranian judicial process

President Ahmadinejad has stated his hope that the three would be able to prove their innocence of espionage, but stated they deserve at least some punishment for illegal entry into Iran.[26][27][28]

On November 9, 2009, it was announced they were to be charged for espionage by Iranian authorities.[29][30]

Ahmadinejad also promised that he would ask the judiciary to treat the case with maximum lenience and expeditiously back in September but despite many public statements that a judicial proceeding is imminent there has been no hearing or movement on their case for nearly eight months.[31] The detainees have been consistently denied access to their lawyer and Swiss officials have been stonewalled since late October. On February 15, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the secretary general of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights, said it was "quite possible" the Americans had strayed into Iran by mistake.[32] Mohammad Larijani is also a brother of Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani, Chief Justice of Iran, and Ali Ardashir Larijani, Chairman of Parliament of Iran.

At the beginning of August 2010, the Iranian government reiterated its belief that the trio should stand trial for illegal entry, and announced it was considering other charges such as "intentionally acting against Iranian security".[33]

Release

In mid-September 2010, after more than a year in prison, Sarah Shourd was released on US$500,000 bail, without charge. Iran's judiciary also announced that the detention of Bauer and Fattal had been extended for two more months.[34]

Calls for Release

Desmond Tutu along with many other notable individuals and governments has called for the release of the detainees.[35]

References

  1. ^ Healy, Jack (2009-12-16). "Iran Says 3 American Hikers Will Be Tried Over Crossing". The New York Times.
  2. ^ a b Sarfaraz, Babak (2010-06-23). "US Hikers Were Seized in Iraq". Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  3. ^ a b Black, Ian (2010-09-14). "Iran frees US hiker Sarah Shourd after detaining her on spy charges". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  4. ^ Three US 'hikers' accused of Iran spying go on trial - BBC News, 6 Feb 2011
  5. ^ "Shane's Work". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  6. ^ "Why is Iran holding anti-war activists?". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  7. ^ "Full Letter From Anna Baltzer". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  8. ^ "Full Letter from Dahr Jamail". Retrieved 2010-08-06.
  9. ^ "Let 'Em Rot: "Hiking" Americans Detained in Iran Are Pro-Syrian, Anti-Israel, Far-Left "Journalist" Activists". Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  10. ^ "Hikers In Iran". Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  11. ^ "Statement of President Barack Obama on the Unjust Detention of Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Josh Fattal". Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  12. ^ "'Holiday 2011?' – Gabriel Gatehouse reports for PM on...your next holiday destination?". Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  13. ^ "Eddie Mair, Radio 4, holidaying in Iraqi Kurdistan". Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  14. ^ a b Black, Ian (2010-07-22). "'We have to have hope' – Shon Meckfessel discusses how three of his friends – all US citizens – were taken prisoner by Iranian officials while hiking in Iraq near the border of Iran". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  15. ^ a b "Nora Shourd, mother of hiker imprisoned in Iran on BBC Radio 4". Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  16. ^ "Iran to release one of three captured US hikers". BBC news Online. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  17. ^ Worth, Robert F.; Cowell, Alan (2010-09-14). "Iran Orders Release of American Hiker". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  18. ^ a b c CBS News/Associated Press (September 14, 2010). "Freed U.S. Hiker Reunites With Mother". CBSNews.com.
  19. ^ "About Shane Bauer". Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  20. ^ Associated, The (2009-07-31). "Iran Relents On Release Of Jailed American Hiker". Npr.org. Retrieved 2010-09-15. [dead link‍]
  21. ^ David Batty and agencies (5 May, 2011). "American hiker charged with spying by Iran will not return to face trial". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 May, 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  22. ^ "Joshua Fattal, Detained Hiker and Brooklyn Yeshiva Student". Retrieved 2010-07-21.
  23. ^ (AP) – Feb 16, 2010 (2010-05-17). "Mothers of 3 imprisoned US hikers head to Iran". Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-05-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) [dead link‍]
  24. ^ "U.S. Detainees’ Mothers Meet Them in Tehran, Appeal for Release", by Ladane Nasseri, Business Week, May 20, 2010
  25. ^ "Mothers' appeal for hikers held in Iran". Retrieved 2010-07-24.
  26. ^ "Families Release Video Of Hikers Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal And Sarah Shourd Detained In Iran". wcbstv.com. 2009-10-27. Retrieved 2010-05-17. [dead link‍]
  27. ^ Locke, Michelle (2009-08-02). "Missing Americans in Iran". News.aol.com. Retrieved 2010-05-17. [dead link‍]
  28. ^ "August 17, 2009". The Nation. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  29. ^ Usborne, David (2009-11-10). "US hikers will stand trial for espionage, says Iran – Americas, World – The Independent". London: Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  30. ^ "Fars News Agency :: Iran: 3 US Citizens Face Espionage Charges". English.farsnews.com. 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  31. ^ "Hiker's family finds hope in Ahmadinejad remarks - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. 2009-09-24. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  32. ^ "Iran: U.S. Hikers Are Presumed Innocent, Official Says". The New York Times. Associated Press. February 17, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  33. ^ "US trio on Iran trespass charge face more accusations". The Observer. London. Associated Press. August 1, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  34. ^ Black, Ian (September 14, 2010). "US trio on Iran trespass charge face more accusations". The Guardian. London. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  35. ^ Tutu, Desmond. "It's Time for Iran to Live Up to Its Commitment to Justice and Compassion." Huff Post, 8 May 2011.
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