American Hikers released in Iran

September 21st, 2011 - 10:08 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

Los Angeles, Sept 21 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The jailed American hikers have been released to Swiss diplomats, VOA News has reported. A judge in Tehran approved the bail of the two men on Wednesday afternoon after the bail money of $1 million placed on them was paid.

Omani officials say they have an aircraft ready at the Tehran International Airport and they will fly the two men out of the country as soon as the necessary arrangements are completed.

The two men, Bauer and Fattal, have been in the custody of Iran since 2009 when they were arrested on the country’s border with Iraq. A female hiker who was arrested with the two men was later released while the two men were kept in jail.

An Iranian court sentenced the two men to a total of eight years in jail after they were found guilty of espionage charges including the capital offense of spying for the United States.

The third accused person, Sarah Shourd, has been in the United States since last year when the Iranian authorities released her on half-a-million dollar bail.

The release of the two men follows a visit of a high delegation team from the United States made of Christian and Muslim leaders.

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