Three hikers who while hiking in Kurdistan in North Iraq inadvertently crossed the border into Iran will stand trial for espionage and illegal border crossing today Sunday February 6, 2011. Only two of the hikers are present during the trial, as the third, Sarah E. Shourd, had been released on bail to the United States for medical reasons. The other two hikers, Joshua F. Fattal and Shane M. Bauer, remain in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. For all three of the hikers pleas of not guilty were entered to the court. The hikers' lawyer, Masoud Shafiee, said that no decisions had been handed down in the case and that it would continue at a later date. Originally scheduled for November, this hearing was postponed until now because Sarah Shourd has not returned to Iran for trial. Being tried in absentia, the $500,000 bail money Ms. Shourd put up will be forfeited. Mr. Shafiee has complained that he has been unable to see his clients despite assurances he would be able to preceeding trial. Speculation however, is pervasive in that Iran may release the hikers as it did with a French academic after the protests in May over the Iranian presidency. While no formal declarations have been made, the judge presiding over the hikers' trial has been known to sentence opposition members to death.
by: Margaret Nunne
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