Iran frees US hikers after one year

The two American hikers, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who arrested in Iran on charges of spying in 2010 have been released on bail, their lawyer announced. Iran’s state news agency quoted the defendants’ lawyer, Massoud Shufa’i, who said that the Revolutionary Court had released both men on bail for the amount of US$500,000. He added that the accused will be handed to the Swiss Embassy in Tehran, which has a US Interests section. Bauer and Fattal were charged with illegally entering Iran for the purpose of spying. The men had been hiking with another friend, Sarah Shourd, in Iraqi Kurdistan and claim that they unknowingly crossed into Iranian territory. Sarah Shourd was released soon after her arrest. The Iranian Court of Appeals has said that the two men are free to return to the US.