2009–2011 detention of American hikers by Iran: Difference between revisions

At the time of their detention by Iranian troops, the three Americans were on vacation{{cncitation needed|date=October 2017}} from their jobs in the region in a relatively stable, autonomous region of Iraq known as Iraqi Kurdistan. On the recommendations of locals, they hiked to see a popular local Iraqi tourist destination near the Iraq-Iran border, the Ahmed Awa waterfall.{{cncitation needed|date=October 2017}}

Joshua "Josh" Fattal, who grew up in [[Elkins Park, Pennsylvania]],<ref name = freedushiker/> graduated from UC Berkeley, worked as co-director of an environmental education center at [[Aprovecho]] in [[Oregon]] and travelled to Switzerland, India, China, and South Africa from January to May 2009 on a fellowship with the International Honors Program (IHP)'s "Health and Community" study abroad program. Fattal and Bauer were friends from their days at the [[University of California at Berkeley]]. Shortly after the release of the hikers, it was revealed that Jacob Fattal, the father of Joshua Fattal, is an [[Israel]]iIsraeli expatriate living in the United States. To avoid revealing the fact that Josh's father is an Israeli citizen, and that half his family are Israelis, Josh's mother and brother, Alex Fattal, spearheaded the campaign for his release and his father avoided the media. Fattal had been to Israel on a few family visits. The last time Fattal was in Israel was 2007 for two weeks for his cousin's wedding.{{factcitation needed|date=October 2018}}

The mothers of the three applied for visas in January 2010 to visit their sons and daughter. They went to Iran in May 2010, after the government granted the visas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100518/ap_on_re_us/us_iran_us_hikers|title=Mothers of 3 imprisoned US hikers head to Iran |publisher=Yahoo!|date=May 17, 2010|access-date=May 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100521220450/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100518/ap_on_re_us/us_iran_us_hikers|archive-date=May 21, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy}} </ref><ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-20/u-s-detainees-mothers-meet-them-in-tehran-appeal-for-release.html "U.S. Detainees' Mothers Meet Them in Tehran, Appeal for Release", by Ladane Nasseri], [[Business Week]], May 20, 2010{{dead link|date=September 2016|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The three were united with their mothers for two days in May 2010 while remaining in detention.

Iran officials stated she was released on humanitarian grounds due to her declining health. She suffered mental health deterioration due to her solitary confinement for such an extended period of time. <ref name="guardian1"/> Shourd's bail did not require that she remain in Iran, but her case would still go to trial along with Fattal and Bauer. Shourd's mother has said she had been denied treatment for serious health problems, including a [[breast lump]] and precancerous cervical cells.<ref name="npr2010">{{cite web|last=Associated|first=The|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129809380&ft=1&f=|title=Iran Relents On Release Of Jailed American Hiker|publisher=NPR|date=July 31, 2009|access-date=September 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914194220/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129809380|archive-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref> In May 2011, Shourd announced that she would not return to Iran for trial, citing acute ill-health. Her lump turned out to be non-cancerous, however it offered a way out of returning.<ref>{{cite news|author=David Batty and agencies|title=American hiker charged with spying by Iran will not return to face trial|newspaper=The Guardian|date=May 5, 2011|access-date=May 5, 2011|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/may/04/american-hiker-iran-no-return|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510224135/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/04/american-hiker-iran-no-return|archive-date=May 10, 2011|url-status=live|location=London}}</ref>

[[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad|President Ahmadinejad]] 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wcbstv.com/national/hikers.detained.iran.2.1273015.html|title=Families Release Video Of Hikers Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal And Sarah Shourd Detained In Iran|publisher=WCBS TV|date=October 27, 2009|access-date=May 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100426123726/http://wcbstv.com/national/hikers.detained.iran.2.1273015.html|archive-date=April 26, 2010|url-status=dead|df=mdy}} </ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Locke|first=Michelle|url=http://news.aol.com/article/missing-americans-in-iran/599557|title=Missing Americans in Iran|publisher=News.aol.com|date=August 2, 2009|access-date=May 17, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805213643/http://news.aol.com/article/missing-americans-in-iran/599557|archive-date=August 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>Curry, Ann. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOh35qHJ0r0 Interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad], ''Today'', MSNBC, reproduced on YouTube; September 18, 2009.</ref>

In September 2009, Ahmadinejad promised that he would ask the judiciary to treat the case with maximum lenience and expeditiously, but despite many public statements that a judicial proceeding was imminent there was no hearing or movement on their case for nearly eight months.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/09/23/iran.hikers/ |title=Hiker's family finds hope in Ahmadinejad remarks|publisher=CNN|date=September 24, 2009|access-date=May 17, 2010}}</ref> On November 9, 2009, it was announced they would be charged for espionage by Iranian authorities.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-hikers-will-stand-trial-for-espionage-says-iran-1817732.html|title=US hikers will stand trial for espionage, says Iran – Americas, World – The Independent|work=The Independent|location=London|date=November 10, 2009|access-date=May 17, 2010|first=David|last=Usborne|archive-date=November 13, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113155435/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-hikers-will-stand-trial-for-espionage-says-iran-1817732.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8808181651|title=Fars News Agency :: Iran: 3 US Citizens Face Espionage Charges|publisher=English.farsnews.com|date=November 9, 2009|access-date=May 17, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301004022/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8808181651|archive-date=March 1, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The detainees were consistently denied access to their lawyer and Swiss officials were stonewalled. On February 15, 2009 [2010?] [[Mohammad-Javad Larijani|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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Iran: U.S. Hikers Are Presumed Innocent, Official Says|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/world/middleeast/17briefs-Hikers.html|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 17, 2010|access-date=September 14, 2010}}</ref>

[[Kenan Thompson]], [[Desmond Tutu]], [[Muhammad Ali]], [[Noam Chomsky]], [[Tom Morello]], [[Alyssa Milano]], [[Ashton Kutcher]], [[Barack Obama]], [[Big Sean]], [[Yusuf Islam]], [[Sean Penn]], along with many other celebrities{{who|date=October 2018}} and governments,{{which|date=October 2018}} called for the release of the detainees on grounds of inhumane treatment and lack of evidence.<ref>Tutu, Desmond. [https://www.huffingtonpost.com/desmond-tutu/post_1924_b_859174.html "It's Time for Iran to Live Up to Its Commitment to Justice and Compassion"]. The Huffington Post, May 8, 2011.</ref> <ref>The Associated Press. [http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2014889162_apusiranushikers.html "Musician Yusuf Islam asks Iran to free US hikers"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214232535/http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2014889162_apusiranushikers.html|date=December 14, 2014}}. ''The Seattle Times'', April 27, 2011.</ref> <ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/26/sean-penn-helped-free-hos_n_982453.html "Sean Penn Worked To Free Jailed American Hikers In Iran"], The Huffington Post, November 26, 2011.</ref>