Southern Hiker.com

As most of you are probably aware by  now, six months ago 3 hikers, Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal, were arrested while hiking in Northern Iraq for allegedly crossing over the Iranian border.  Iran has continued to hold these 3 hikers in prison, and refuses to release them or adhere to any international standards for treatment or criminal charges.

Regardless of your beliefs in whether or not these hikers had any business hiking in this region, we as Americans should support our fellow Americans and encourage our elected leaders to get involved in this situation to help.

Hiking is a freedom we should be able to enjoy without fear of detainment. I can’t imagine hiking in Texas, and being detained for accidentally crossing over the Mexican border, or hiking up North and being accused of spying on Canada. Iran is a paranoid country with tyrannical leadership. At worst these hikers should have received nothing more than a slap on the wrist, but Iran has instead made them part of a political statement, rather than act humanely.

News from recent Belgian tourists released from Iran indicate that these hikers are not only  being held in prison, but are being held in deplorable conditions, and are likely being kept in solitary confinement for the duration of their detainment. These actions are in violation of numerous international laws regarding the treatment of “criminals.”

I encourage all of you to write your elected officials today, and ask for their invovlement.  We need to try to get our fellow American hikers released and back to their families as soon as possible.

Until then, we should be praying for them and their families, and hoping that Iran will demonstrate some compassion for innocent human life, despite their deranged political agenda.

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