Mothers of 3 jailed Americans intensify criticism of Iran, call for immediate trial or release
By Patrick Condon, APWednesday, June 16, 2010
Mothers of 3 Americans intensify criticism of Iran
MINNEAPOLIS — The mothers of three Americans jailed in Iran for nearly one year are criticizing the country.
The families of the three Americans have avoided being critical of Iran, saying they did not want to politicize the case. But they’re now calling their children’s plight “a cynical attempt by Iran to exert leverage with the United States.”
The mothers of Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal (fuh-TAHL’) released a statement Thursday demanding an immediate trial or release of their children from Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Shourd, Bauer and Fattal were arrested in late July along the Iran-Iraq border and have been accused of espionage by Iranian officials. Their families insist it was only a hike gone astray.
Their mothers live in Minnesota, Pennsylvania and California.
