Freed American Hiker Summoned Back to Iran

The female American hiker released on bail in September from an Iranian jail has been summoned to stand trial on espionage charges in Iran.
Freed American Hiker Summoned Back to Iran
Jasper Fakkert
1/31/2011
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/sshourd104287978.jpg" alt="American hiker Sarah Shourd, who was released on bail from an Iranian prison on September 14, speaks to the press on September 18, 2010 in Muscat, prior to her departure home to the USA. (Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP/Getty Images)" title="American hiker Sarah Shourd, who was released on bail from an Iranian prison on September 14, speaks to the press on September 18, 2010 in Muscat, prior to her departure home to the USA. (Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1808977"/></a>
American hiker Sarah Shourd, who was released on bail from an Iranian prison on September 14, speaks to the press on September 18, 2010 in Muscat, prior to her departure home to the USA. (Mohammed Mahjoub/AFP/Getty Images)
The female American hiker released on bail in September from an Iranian jail has been summoned to stand trial on espionage charges in Iran.

Sarah Shourd, 32, was arrested together with her fiancé and a friend while hiking close to Iraq’s border with Iran on July 2009.

While the three have claimed they were just hiking and did not cross the border into Iran intentionally, the Iranian leadership has sought to prosecute them on charges of illegal entry and espionage.

The United States has from the beginning rejected the charges and called upon Iran to release them. Shourd was released on $500,000 bail last September on medical grounds and immediately returned the United States. The two men remain in prison.

It was unclear on Monday whether Shourd would return to Iran.

According to Iranian media the trial of all three is scheduled for next week.
Jasper Fakkert is the Editor-in-chief of the U.S. editions of The Epoch Times. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Science and a Master's degree in Journalism. Twitter: @JasperFakkert
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