For US Hikers, Travel to Iran Leads to Trial
Three American hikers who thought that adventure travel to Iran was a great idea have been detained by the Iranian government for 18 months, on allegations of spying. Their case is finally going to trial before the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The two young men and young woman pleaded not guilty to charges of espionage. The court, which is controlled by Iranian clerics, did not allow any observers to be present at the trial.
The young woman, Sarah Shroud, was released in September on $500000 bail, and is not likely to return for the trial. Shortly after her release she met with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to plead for his intervention in releasing her friends, one of whom is also her fiance. The president promised that the trial would be expedited and "maximum leniency" would be used. However, this term could have a different meaning in Iran where an average of two people are hanged each day for committing various crimes.