By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Three American hikers detained in Iran will be charged with espionage. Tehran’s general prosecutor, Abbas Jafari Doloatabadi confirmed the news on November 9. Doloatabadi also said that the investigation into the actions of the three would continue. Under Iranian law, the hikers face death if convicted of the espionage charge.

The three Americans, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shroud and Joshua Fattal, are thought to have crossed into Iranian territory while hiking in the Kurdish region of Iraq. The area is known to have a poorly marked border and their loved ones insist that this was an innocent mistake on the part of the three hikers.

The three hikers’ friends and families released a statement calling the spy allegations “entirely at odds with the people Shane, Sarah and Josh are and with anything that Iran can have learned about them since they were detained on July 31.” They  have urged the Iranian government to have compassion for the three and release them from custody.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton commented on the issue while in Berlin. She stated that there was “no evidence” for Iran to charge the hikers. Clinton urged the release of the hikers based on humanitarian grounds. After meeting with the family members of the three Americans, she explained that her “hear went out to all of them.” Clinton told the families that all options to getting the hikers back were being explored.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs argued that the three were innocent and that their release should come as quick as possible. As the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran, Switzerland has done the job of directly appealing for the hikers’ release. A Swiss diplomat has twice been allowed to visit the Americans in prison.

The most recent meeting took place on October 29 at Evin Prison in Tehran. The Swiss diplomat was able to confirm to the State Department that the detained hikers were in good physical shape. A State Department official confirmed a report that the three seemed nervous and scared, but appeared to be in good psychological health.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Families of US Hikers in Iran Deny Espionage Charges – 9 November 2009

Al Jazeera – Iran Accuses Americans of Spying – 9 November 2009

BBC – US Trio ‘on Iran Spying Charge’ – 9 November 2009

CNN – Iran to Charge 3 American Hikers With Espionage, Says Prosecutor – 9 November 2009