Middle East Focus: The Iranians and the Hikers: a Bizarre Case of Three Captives………….

Arabia Deserta

The Iranians and the Hikers: a Bizarre Case of Three Captives………….

“Two of three American hikers jailed in Iran for nearly nine months are in poor health and told Swiss diplomats -- their first outside visitors since October—that they were considering a hunger strike, their mothers say. The families of Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, issued a statement after Swiss diplomats were allowed to visit the detainees Thursday for the first time in nearly five months. "We thank the Iranian authorities for allowing Shane, Sarah and Josh to receive another consular visit at long last but we are alarmed to learn of their physical and emotional state of health and fear their well-being will suffer even more unless their case is resolved without delay," the families said………. The trio was detained last July 31 after straying across the border during a hiking trip in Iraq's Kurdistan region and are being held in Tehran's Evin prison. The Swiss ambassador was granted the consular visit, his third to the prisoners, after repeated requests, the State Department noted……………"We are convinced that if Iran had any evidence against Shane, Sarah and Josh, it would already have tried them in a public court of law and let them answer any allegations. We know that Shane, Sarah and Josh have nothing to hide." Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi accused the hikers earlier this month of cooperating with "intelligence services," without elaborating. He said Iran had "compelling evidence" of the ties…..…”

This case has certain North Korean qualities about it. It is not clear what the Iranians are trying to do. Nine months should be enough to show any evidence and start a legal case, if there is a case. If there was a case, the three would have talked by now and there “confessions’ would have been made public by now. They will not be able to bargain them for those who have defected to the West. If there are some Iranians who were abducted in Europe and the Middle East by Western and Israeli intelligence, and there may be, they have already spilled the beans by now.
They are probably angry at this trickle of scientists and former (and current) officials who defect or are “otherwise persuaded”, but keeping these three in limbo will not help the Iranians.
Cheers
mhg

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