Iran to release American hiker Sarah Shourd from Tehran prison, official says

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) – Iran on Thursday told BNO News that it would release one of the three American hikers currently held prisoner in the country after they, the hikers families say, unintentionally crossed the border into Iran.

The hiker, Sarah Shourd, 31, was seized in July 2009 with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal who were hiking in Iraq’s Kurdistan region when they crossed into Iran. Tehran accuses the hikers of entering the country illegally and having links to U.S. intelligence. Iranian reporters on Thursday were informed that the Shourd would be released on Saturday at 9 a.m. local time at the Estaghlal hotel, the same hotel where the parents of the American hikers were allowed to meet them in May.

The letter to Iranian journalists began with congratulations on Eid al-Fitr, a feast that marks the end of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Charity is one of the key staples of Islam, and a focal point during the month of Ramadan. It’s not uncommon for prisoners to be released in the Muslim world during this time.

An Iranian official with the U.N. told BNO News soon after that they would be releasing Sarah Shourd from Tehran’s Evin prison “very soon.” There was no official explanation as to why the release was taking place, and would not reveal any more information on the details of the release. None of the hikers have been publicly charged.

The release of one of the hikers is an unusual move, however, by Iran, as Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said that all three of them would stand trial, but did not announce any specific charges. The Iranian government in August reiterated the belief that they would stand trial for illegal entry, but did not formally charge them, as they said they were still considering espionage and related charges.

The three hikers were actively living in the Middle East at the time and were on holiday in Iraq. They were anti-war activists and called for Palestinian solidarity. They were traveling with an additional companion, Shon Meckfessel, who was not arrested by Iranian guards as he stayed at the hotel in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq because of an illness, and he had planned to join them later that day.

Sarah Shourd worked with refugees from the war in Iraq and worked teaching English. She was expected to return to that job in Damascus before she was detained.

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