American Hikers Freed from Iranian Prison

No doubt there will be celebrating in Pine City, Mn. as soon as Shane Bauer returns to Minnesota, where his mother resides, after being held with his friend Josh Fattal in an Iranian prison for over 2 years on charges of espionage.

The 2 young men, along with Bauer's fiancee, Sarah Shourd, were arrested in July of 2009 while they were hiking and accidently crossed the Iranian border. They were accused of being spies and held in Tehran's Evin prison since that fateful day. Shroud was released a year ago for health reasons after bail of $500,000 was posted. The 3 hikers have always maintained they were innocent.

Sarah Shroud and Shane Bauer had been living together in Damascus, Syria, where Shroud taught English and Bauer was a freelance journalist. Fattal, an environmental activist from Pennsylvania, went to visit his two friends in July of 2009, shortly before the trio took a trip to northern Iraq, which eventually led to this 2 year nightmare.

Complicated diplomatic maneuvers for their release had been going on ever since their arrest. Finally after a lot of ups and downs, a $1 million bail deal was struck, and the two were released and welcomed with open arms for a joyful reunion in the Gulf State of Oman on Wed., Sept. 21, 2011.The families described this reunion as "the best days of our lives".

Just a month before their release, Bauer and Fattal were sentenced to an 8 year prison term for illegal entry into Iran and espionage. They were appealing their sentence and the United States vowed to continue their fight for their release, until it was finally granted. The London based rights group Amnesty International called the release of Fattal and Bauer a "long overdue step".

No plans have been released as to what the Fattal and Bauer plan to do once they return back to the U.S. in a few days. Right now they are just enjoying their freedom and a chance to spend time with their families.

Their could be a wedding in the future for Shane Bauer and Sarah Shroud. Bauer proposed to his fiancee while they were in prison in Tehran. Shroud never gave up her fight to get Bauer and Fattal released, once she was freed herself. She is reportedly living in Oakland, California at the present time.

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com