AGL 39.70 Decreased By ▼ -0.30 (-0.75%)
AIRLINK 128.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.46 (-0.36%)
BOP 6.83 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1.19%)
CNERGY 4.70 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (4.68%)
DCL 8.45 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-1.17%)
DFML 41.09 Increased By ▲ 0.27 (0.66%)
DGKC 82.50 Increased By ▲ 1.54 (1.9%)
FCCL 33.01 Increased By ▲ 0.24 (0.73%)
FFBL 73.88 Decreased By ▼ -0.55 (-0.74%)
FFL 11.93 Increased By ▲ 0.19 (1.62%)
HUBC 110.74 Increased By ▲ 1.16 (1.06%)
HUMNL 14.25 Increased By ▲ 0.50 (3.64%)
KEL 5.23 Decreased By ▼ -0.08 (-1.51%)
KOSM 7.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.22 (-2.85%)
MLCF 38.90 Increased By ▲ 0.30 (0.78%)
NBP 63.70 Increased By ▲ 0.19 (0.3%)
OGDC 193.50 Decreased By ▼ -1.19 (-0.61%)
PAEL 25.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.21 (-0.82%)
PIBTL 7.33 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.81%)
PPL 153.50 Decreased By ▼ -1.95 (-1.25%)
PRL 25.75 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-0.16%)
PTC 17.49 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.06%)
SEARL 81.25 Increased By ▲ 2.60 (3.31%)
TELE 7.66 Decreased By ▼ -0.20 (-2.54%)
TOMCL 33.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.25 (-0.74%)
TPLP 8.52 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (1.43%)
TREET 16.45 Increased By ▲ 0.18 (1.11%)
TRG 56.87 Decreased By ▼ -1.35 (-2.32%)
UNITY 27.65 Increased By ▲ 0.16 (0.58%)
WTL 1.37 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-1.44%)
BR100 10,519 Increased By 73.5 (0.7%)
BR30 31,194 Increased By 4.8 (0.02%)
KSE100 98,299 Increased By 500.5 (0.51%)
KSE30 30,665 Increased By 184.2 (0.6%)

The families of three Americans charged with espionage in Iran after straying over the border from northern Iraq in July said on Sunday they have secured an Iranian lawyer to try to get them released. Iran's judiciary has announced espionage charges against Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27.
-- Families say innocent hikers strayed across border
-- Detained Americans secure 'proper legal representation'
-- Iran prepares espionage case against the three Americans
Their families say they were hiking during a vacation in Iraq and crossed the border accidentally. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said they "entered Iran with suspicious aims."
Independent Iranian lawyer Masoud Shafii will represent Bauer, Shourd and Fattal and work for their release, the families of the three Americans said in an e-mailed statement. Iran has said they will stand trial.
"We continue to hope that the Iranian authorities will release Shane, Sarah and Josh on humanitarian grounds without further delay or any need for a trial," the families said.
But given their situation, "it is essential for our loved ones to have proper legal representation and we are pleased that Mr. Shafii has agreed to work on their behalf," the families said. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called Iran's case against the three Americans "totally unfounded." Their detention has complicated relations between Iran and the United States that were already tense over Iran's nuclear program.
Under Iran's Islamic law, sharia, espionage can be punishable by death.
Bauer, Shourd and Fattal are being held at Evin Prison in Tehran and have not been allowed to make telephone calls to their relatives, the families said. "We are also increasingly concerned about their state of mind after almost five months of isolation. Their lack of contact with us and the persistent uncertainty are deeply distressing, especially in light of earlier indications that the case would be handled expeditiously," the families said.

Copyright Reuters, 2009

Comments

Comments are closed.