Iran to Resume US Hikers’ Trial During Summer

Posted June 14th, 2011 at 2:05 pm (UTC-5)
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Iran's chief prosecutor says the trial for three Americans accused of spying will resume during the court's summer session, which runs from late June to late August, and that he hopes a final decision will be made then as to their future.

Iranian state-run media quote Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi as making the comments during a Tuesday news conference on a wide range of issues. He also rejected claims that the two hikers who remain in Iranian custody are being abused.

Iranian authorities arrested Sarah Shourd, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer in 2009 on charges of illegally crossing into the country from Iraq. Shourd was released on bail last year but the other two remain in prison. Since being freed, Shourd has claimed that prison guards abused and assaulted Fattal and Bauer.

The hikers' families released a statement on Tuesday saying they hope the newly announced court session takes place “sooner rather than later.” They also said Bauer and Fattal were being held without “any due process” and should be allowed to return home immediately.

Iranian authorities have provided only limited access to Fattal and Bauer. In May, authorities allowed the two men to call their families — for just the third time since their 2009 arrest. The mothers of the two men said they sounded well during the calls, which lasted less than five minutes.