An area comprising of Turkey, Iraq and Iran called Kurdistan had 3 individuals hiking there in 2009. The title came from the Kurds which is the majority of individuals who reside there. The hikers were taken into custody by Iranian authorities and accused of being spies and carrying out espionage. Shourd was luck to be a hiker that was let go as authorities couldn’t decide for a when whether or not to really do it. Iranian law enforcement tried to get the United States of America, who said no, to pay for her release with $500,000. The other hikers remain in custody, one of which is her fiancé.
Why spy on a hike?
All three captured hikers, Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, work in the Middle East. Shourd’s fiancé is Bauer. Kurdistan was the choice they made to getaway at because in the southern parts of Iraq, it is probably the most free. While hiking outside of Zalem, a village in Iraqi Kurdistan, the hikers were detained by the Iranian national police, according to The Nation. Though the border isn’t identified, locals in the area claim that Iranian forces regularly enter Iraq, where they lack jurisdiction.
One hiker released
Several weeks ago, the Iranian government announced it would release Sarah Shourd on $500,000 bail, which the United States of America government said it would not pay. . Then, it was announced that Sarah Shourd was being released, on bail, for health reasons, as outlined by CNN. There are no relations between Washington and Tehran. Also, ever since the 1979, the Swiss have acted as liaison. Supposedly, a banking account in Oman is where the bail originated from. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal weren’t as lucky. They’re still in Iranian custody.
No way to prove there was espionage
Sources said that the hikers did not cross into the Iranian border ever. It has been said by many from the area that Iranian police and intelligence operatives cross the border to detain people continuously within the country. Any judge should be able to take 10 minutes to acknowledge a trespassing charge. Seems like like the only reason the government would keep the people detained would be for political reasons.
Further reading
The Nation
thenation.com/article/36562/us-hikers-were-seized-iraq?page=,
CNN
cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/14/iran.detained.american/
