• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Detained U.S. hiker could be freed as early as Monday

EnigmaO01

DP Veteran
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
23,238
Reaction score
17,611
Location
Indiana
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Other
Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Sarah Shourd, one of three American hikers detained in Iran for more than a year, could be released as early as Monday once $500,000 is submitted to the Iranian judiciary.

"Everything is in place for the release," said lawyer Massoud Shafii, who got to see the hikers for the first time on Sunday. "It's up to the family when to deliver the money."

The official Islamic Republic News Agency reported earlier Sunday that Shourd will be released if bail worth about $500,000 for her is submitted to the Iranian judiciary.

"We are waiting for the bail set for Sarah Shourd to be deposited by (the) Swiss embassy in Iran," Shafii told the semi-official Iran Students' News Agency (ISNA) Monday. "... During my meeting with the client's family, we agreed to take measures for her release as soon as the money is provided."

Shafii said of Shourd on Sunday, "Naturally she was happy, but her wish is for all three to be released together." He met the Americans at Tehran's Evin prison after the prosecutor for Tehran's Revolutionary Court announced the offer to release Shourd on bail.

"I saw them and spoke to them," Shafii told CNN. "They were doing well."

Shafii said he doesn't know when exactly the release would take place.

Samantha Topping, a representative for the mothers of the hikers, said they are still taking in the news and are not yet making public comments. Topping had no comment on the bail money.

Switzerland, which represents U.S. interests in the country, had little information to release Sunday.

"Technicalities demanded by the attorney general are currently under consideration by the embassy in Tehran," Swiss Ambassador Livia Leu-Agosti told CNN.

Shourd had a pre-existing gynecological problem, but her family says she now also has a lump in her breast, according to Shafii. She still could be charged, and authorities would still expect her to come back to Iran for a trial. But other foreigners who have been released on bail after imprisonment in Iran have left the country and not come back.

Iranian officials had announced Thursday that Shourd would be released on Saturday, at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. But state media announced Friday that the release had been called off because legal procedures had not yet been resolved.

On Sunday, Tehran Prosecutor General Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi announced the country's "readiness for the conditional release of one of the three U.S. citizens arrested for illegally entering the country," state-run Press TV said.

A judge decided to allow Shourd to be released on bail because of an ailment, Dolatabadi said, according to IRNA.

Dolatabadi said Shourd would be free after bail is paid, but needs to take part in the trial when it is held, according to ISNA.

Shourd, 32, Shane Bauer, 28, and Josh Fattal, 28, were detained July 31, 2009, after they allegedly strayed across an unmarked border into Iran while hiking in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Tehran has accused the three hikers of spying. Iran's intelligence minister has hinted the country may consider releasing them in exchange for the release of Iranian prisoners, according to state news outlets.

Dolatabadi said authorities completed investigations on espionage charges against the three Americans over the past several days and the indictments have already been issued by the judge in charge of the case, IRNA reported.

He said the arrest warrants have been issued for Bauer and Fattal.

The hikers' families' website, freethehikers.org, said Shourd has been in solitary confinement, able to meet for only two 30-minute periods per day with Bauer, who is her fiance, and Fattal. The two men share a cell. All three Americans are graduates of the University of California, Berkeley. They have been able to telephone their families only once, on March 9.

The United States and Iran have had no diplomatic relations for three decades, and Washington is not involved in moves to free Shourd, a State Department spokesman said Sunday.

"We are in wait-and-see mode. We want all three hostages released and returned," State Department spokesman Fred Lash told CNN.

The State Department is monitoring the situation, but all diplomacy is being handled by the Swiss Embassy, he said.


Detained U.S. hiker could be freed as early as Monday - CNN.com



Bail my ass! Sounds like a ransom fee to me. Have the leaders of this country no shame?

Granted it was pretty stupid for these three idealistic students to be in Iraq, let alone near the Iranian border but you have to feel Iran is just taunting and teasing along with attempting to extort money. How pathetic. This really shows the true colors of this countries leaders. Hopefully some day the Iranian people can take back their country from these ruthless thugs and hang them from the nearest tree.
 
Last edited:
Sigh, I have to say this is an example of where I really disagree with revolutionary governments. Hope it all gets solved.
 
Sigh, I have to say this is an example of where I really disagree with revolutionary governments. Hope it all gets solved.

This government ceased being a revolutionary government a long time ago. Now they are just as repressive and corrupt at theiir predecessor was.
 
Oh, no its still a revolutionary government, but your point is right. American supported puppet terror state to some sortof fundamentalist state. Lameness.
 
The US should get all its people home then cut off all state aid until it mends its ways.

Just like with the British Government giving untold millions to the extremist Egyptian government, why should we Westerners pay for them to keep their wheels turning?
 
The US should get all its people home then cut off all state aid until it mends its ways.

Just like with the British Government giving untold millions to the extremist Egyptian government, why should we Westerners pay for them to keep their wheels turning?

You don't know anything do you?

2 words.

Suez Canal.
 
I have 5 for you:

Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936.

The Egyptians did all they could to sabotage our operations and get closer to communists and militant Islamics in Saudi. Nasser also stole the canal we had the use of by contract.

Things have been rocky ever since the Suez Crisis and I think international pressure should be applied to make the Suez Canal an international free passageway.
 
Last edited:
Oh, no its still a revolutionary government, but your point is right. American supported puppet terror state to some sortof fundamentalist state. Lameness.

I respectfully disagree they are any longer "revolutionary." At least revolutionary governments are idealistic and have good intentions. This was now reeks badly of corruption and hyprocracy.

I'm with you on America being to blame for the outcome though. Just another example of American policy coming back to bite us in the butt.
 
This is a very lucky young woman, however I see her release as almost a kidnapping with a half million dollar ransom, played off as a humanitarian gesture.

We can only hope the other two"Hikers" are offered up for a cash deal. If not then they need our prayers.
 
This is a very lucky young woman, however I see her release as almost a kidnapping with a half million dollar ransom, played off as a humanitarian gesture.

We can only hope the other two"Hikers" are offered up for a cash deal. If not then they need our prayers.

She did cross the boarder illegally, and I think anyone would question the probability of 3 american hikers in Iraq crossing the boarder with Iran by accident
 
I say we reward the Iranian government's ransom attempt with another more ruthless set of sanctions designed to make life in Iran a living hell. Then Iran gets 3 days in which to realse those they kidnapped or the face crippling strikes on ALL costal cities, nuclear sites, military sites, and the homes of each mullah, Aminajihad, and the AYetoiletbowl.
 
I say we reward the Iranian government's ransom attempt with another more ruthless set of sanctions designed to make life in Iran a living hell. Then Iran gets 3 days in which to realse those they kidnapped or the face crippling strikes on ALL costal cities, nuclear sites, military sites, and the homes of each mullah, Aminajihad, and the AYetoiletbowl.

Yay, military action 'cause people broke the law in a country you don't like, and I think you'll find most countries have 'ransoms', it's also known as bail.
 
The bigger question is "will anyone learn a lesson, here?"

My thought is "no, no one will learn a lesson, here."
 
I think the US should sell people back to their own countries to lower the deficit.

An American woman is worth 500k.

What is a French man worth or a Russian Woman (spy)?

It could make a lot of money.
 
She did cross the boarder illegally, and I think anyone would question the probability of 3 american hikers in Iraq crossing the boarder with Iran by accident

Actually LT that is questionable. Not only was it an umarked border but the hikers said the Iranians came across the border to nab them. I guess it's the hikers word against the Iranians. I don't know how reliable the hikers are but Iran's track record on telling the truth is questionable.

I still say it takes a supreme amount of stupidity to hike in a war zone next to the border of a hostile country and be Jewish to boot.
 
Yay, military action 'cause people broke the law in a country you don't like, and I think you'll find most countries have 'ransoms', it's also known as bail.

The Iranians broke the law, violated the border of another nation, kidnapped citizens of another country, and now they need to be destroyed for it. It's time the mullahs, the ayetoiletbowl, and Aminajihad and their Revolutionary stooge islam-o-nazi zealot butt buddies learned a very hard lesson.

Iran needs to be hit so hard they will never even go near the borders again.
 
At least they know it's coming - won't prevent it but can brace for it and when it hits it won't be out of the blue.
 
At least they know it's coming - won't prevent it but can brace for it and when it hits it won't be out of the blue.

Maybe not ... but it will be so devastating the ****holes who run Iran will know thier limits. The bombing should continue until Iran's current leaders are all dead... or until they surrender and are incarcerated in a non-islamic country.
 
Yes, an unsustainable world war not in our favor is the way to go!
 
Maybe not ... but it will be so devastating the ****holes who run Iran will know thier limits. The bombing should continue until Iran's current leaders are all dead... or until they surrender and are incarcerated in a non-islamic country.

OOPS! Wrong thread with that reply! I though I was posting in the Austrailia Locust thread. But I guess it didn't seem *too* out of place.
 
Yes, an unsustainable world war not in our favor is the way to go!

Iran's government has to be stopped. If you do not possess the sack to do the job, step out of the way and make room for those who do.
 
Back
Top Bottom