With the celebration of the American reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee being pardoned and released just starting, it is important to remember that Ling and Lee were not the only Americans detained across the world.  In the last few days three American tourists have been arrested by Iran for illegally entering the country while backpacking through the area.  Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Joshua Fattal were taken into custody on Friday, July 31, 2009 after traveling in the Kurdish region of Iraq.  All three were well seasoned travelers who had been spending a year traveling around the middle East.

Like the situation with Laura Ling and Euna Lee, Bauer, Shourd and Fattal are currently being detained in a rogue state that has no diplomatic ties with the United States. The facts of their detention are currently unclear but what is clear that these three world travelers are not spies for the United States. While crossing into Iran without permission most likely violates some Iranian rule, the Iranian government cannot be allowed to make it something bigger than it was and these three tourists should not be used as pawns in the political game of world power.

On July 31, 2009, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal went missing along the Iran/ Iraq border.  The trio had been traveling throughout the middle east with a fourth hiker, Shon Meckfessel. The three are currently being held by the Iranian government for illegally entering the country.  Shon Meckfessel has written an article in The Nation telling their story.

According to Meckfessel, the four decided to travel from Syria to Kurdistan.  They arrived in Sulaimania on July 29 and stayed at the hotel Miwan.  They then decided to explore the mountainous terrain and visit a place called Ahmed Awa.  They did not realize that Ahmed Awa was near the border with Iran. 

Meckfessel got separated from his friends when they left for Ahmed Awa.  On July 31 he learned they had been detained by the Iranian border patrol. 

A little over a month has passed since three American tourists were detained in Iran after accidentally crossing over the border. Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were detained after hiking in Northern Iraq. A fourth friend got separated from the group claims they had no intention of going to Iran.

In the last month, the families have not heard a word about the fate of their loved ones. They are asking for public support to help get them released. Iran now is making overtures with the United States to have bilateral talks about Iran's nuclear programs. Perhaps this will lead to their safe return.

The families of the missing hikers appeared on the Today Show this morning to raise awareness to this issue. The hikers have now been detained for 48 days.  They also stated that they have written a letter to the President of Iran asking him to show the goodness of the Iranian people by bringing the hikers with him when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly next week. NBC's Anne Curry will ask the Iranian President about the fate of the hikers when she interviews him later today.  The families have heard nothing about the detained hikers since they were taken at the end of July.

The families have also set up a facebook page and website where they have placed a petition. Please sign the petition.

The facebook page is: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119471126959

The Website Page is: http://www.freethehikers.org/

 President Ahmadinejad of Iran told the Associated Press that he will seek "maximum" leniency for the 3 US hikers detained in Iran during the summer.  He did not elaborate as to what that means.  He also stated that the three broke the law but he would do what he can to expedite the process.

This comes when Iran is making some overtures towards talks about their nuclear talks. The Iranian President is in New York for the UN talks.

Despite being requesting by the family to bring the missing hikers home when he arrived in New York for the UN meeting, the President of Iran left them behind.  On Larry King, President Ahmadinejad said that three had committed a crime but claimed he had little control over the case.  However, with renewed tensions over Iran's nuclear plans and Iran's testing of long range missles, it has become even more important to put focus on the issue of the missing hikers.

Some good news though is that Iran has contacted Swiss Officials to allow them to see the missing hikers.  This will be the first western contact with the trio since they were detained in July.

The family has set up a website and is trying to sell T-Shirts to bring awareness to this issue.  You can get the shirts either at :

http://laughingstockdesign.biz/listing.aspx?CID=32

or

http://freethehikers.org/?page_id=755

November 8, 2009 marks the 100th day of Detention for the three american hikers detained in Iran.  The families and friends are using the occassion to bring more light to the sitation as the media for the most part has ignored this tradegy.  Vigils are scheduled around the world in the following locations:

• Philadelphia, PA • Vancouver, Canada

• New York City, NY • Toronto, Canada

• Boston, MA • Shanghai, China

• Cottage Grove, OR • Changsha, China

• Los Angeles, CA • Bangalore, India

• Oakland, CA • Rajpur, India

• Minneapolis, MN • London, UK

• Pine City, MN • Mexico City, Mexico

• Burlington, VT • Cape Town, S. Africa

• Sarasota, FL • Hultsfred, Sweden

• Boulder, CO • Medellin, Colombia

 • Vietnam

Recent reports have stated that the Swedish Ambassador to Iran has met with the hikers and reported that they are in good health.  However, they have still not been allowed to call their families.  There are reports today claiming that the families have met with Secretary Clinton about the plight of the hikers.

If you can, please sign the petition to have the hikers released.

 Amid growing tensions between the United States and Iran over Iran's nuclear program, Iran announced today that the three American hikers detained since July will be charged with spying.  These allegations come only one day after vigils were held across the world for the hikers' safe return.

Secretary Clinton called for Iran to show compassion and release the hikers.  However, it appears that this issue will not end soon.

Four months ago the three American hikers were taken into custody by Iranian officials allegedly trespassing into Iranian soil.  In those four months they have not been allowed to contact their family.  They have only been allowed two visits by Swiss officials who report that they are in good health but their incarceration is taking its toll. 

The families are asking the Iranian President to make a humanitarian gesture and release the Americans.  Their voice hit the US Senate where Senator Al Franken spoke on behalf of the families on the Senate Floor.

If you haven't please sign the Petitions.