September 14, 2010

Iran Releases Hiker Detained for Over a Year

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The Iranian government has ordered the release of Sarah Shourd, one of the three American hikers it has detained since they allegedly wandered over the country’s border with Iraq more than a year ago. Shourd, Josh Fattal, and Mother Jones writer Shane Bauer were accused of spying, and Fattal and Bauer are set to be detained for at least another two months. Shourd had to post $500,000 bail to win her release. (It’s unclear who paid the bill—the Shourd family said earlier this week that they couldn’t afford it.) President Barack Obama issued a statement Tuesday on the latest developments:

I am very pleased that Sarah Shourd has been released by the Iranian government, and will soon be united with her family. All Americans join with her courageous mother and family in celebrating her long-awaited return home. We are grateful to the Swiss, the Sultanate of Oman, and other friends and allies around the world who have worked tirelessly and admirably over the past several months to bring about this joyous reunion.

While Sarah has been released, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal remain prisoners in Iran who have committed no crime. We remain hopeful that Iran will demonstrate renewed compassion by ensuring the return of Shane, Josh and all the other missing or detained Americans in Iran. We salute the courage and strength of the Shourd, Bauer, and Fattal families, who have endured the unimaginable absence of their loved ones. We have gained strength from their resolve, and will continue do everything we can to secure the release of their loved ones.

And here’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton:

I welcome Sarah Shourd’s release from detention in Iran, and am pleased that she will soon be reunited with her family. I appreciate the efforts of all those who have worked for her release, in particular the Swiss Protecting Power in Tehran, the Omani Government, and the many other world leaders who have raised this case and the cases of other detained or missing American citizens. Sarah’s fiancé Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal, and other U.S. citizens remain detained or missing in Iran. We urge Iranian authorities to extend the same consideration to them by resolving their cases without delay and allowing them to immediately return to their families.

It’s great news that Shourd has been freed. Let’s hope that Bauer and Fattal are released as soon as possible. 

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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