WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today delivered remarks on the Senate floor on the continued imprisonment of three American hikers who were arrested seven months ago.
“The longer the detainment of these young Americans continues, the more clear it becomes to international community that the Iranian regime is engaged in political games rather than seeking to grant them a fair and timely judicial process,” said Senator Casey. “On this basis, I request that Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani and other Iranian officials make the humane and just decision to release Josh, Sarah and Shane immediately.”
Josh Fattal, Sarah Shourd and Shane Bauer have been detained in Iran since their arrest on July 31, 2009 for allegedly crossing an unmarked border between Iraq and Iran. They had been hiking in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan.
Full text of Senator Casey’s speech is below:
Senator Robert P. Casey
Remarks on American Hikers Detained in Iran
Mr. President, I rise today to discuss the ongoing imprisonment of three young Americans: Joshua Fattal from Pennsylvania and two other Americans who have been imprisoned in Iran with him, Sarah Shourd and Shane Bauer. These three Americans have now spent seven months in confinement in Iran’s Evin prison for allegedly crossing a poorly marked border between Iran and Iraq.
Since their detention along the Iraq-Iran border on July 31st of 2009, the Iranian government has refused requests from their attorney for visits. The government of Iran has delayed due process and rejected requests from their family members to call or visit them. The Iranian regime has delayed requests for Iranian visas for the families and stonewalled the Swiss Embassy’s attempts to carry out diplomatic visits.
The longer the detainment of these young Americans continues, the more clear it becomes to international community that the Iranian regime is engaged in political games rather than seeking to grant them a fair and timely judicial process.
On this basis, I request that Supreme Leader Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, Judiciary Chief Sadeq Larijani and other Iranian officials make the humane and just decision to release Josh, Sarah and Shane immediately.
Keeping these three innocent Americans in prison without due process violates international human rights standards as well as Iran’s own laws. It has been more than two months since Foreign Minister Mottaki claimed that they would be tried in court, yet no trial date has been set. According to Iranian law, no detainee can be held temporarily for more than four months; thus, judiciary officials must either schedule a court hearing or set the three young Americans free.
The only conclusion the international community can draw from the Iranian government’s words and actions is that they intend to keep these three young Americans in limbo for domestic or foreign policy aims. This has nothing to do with the actions or intentions of these three American tourists, who were simply admiring the natural beauty of the Kurdish mountains near the Iran-Iraq border. The world is much worse off when idealism, especially idealism held by innocent young people, is squashed by cynical politics.
Among ancient Persia’s great legacies is a transparent and efficient justice system. Innocent people did not appear on the court docket.
We ask that the Iranian government to send the world the unambiguous message that transparent, timely and fair judicial processes remain a cornerstone of Iranian civilization. Keeping Josh, Sarah, and Shane indefinitely in confinement and without access to legal counsel or their family is unjust and is sure to color visions of Iranian society for young people the world over. Don’t make Josh, Sarah, and Shane—and their desperately concerned parents—wait another day before being reunited. Supreme Leader Khamenei, release these young hikers now.
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