Iran Wants Freed Hiker Back in Court

US Woman Summoned to Iran for Trial

VoA News: Iran has summoned an American woman it released on bail to return to the country for trial with two of her friends who are still held there.

An Iranian government spokesman said Monday that Sarah Shourd has been called back to Iran to go on trial February 6.

Shourd was released bail in September and since then has been in the United States calling for the release of her fiancee Shane Bauer and their friend, Josh Fattal.

The three were arrested in July 2009 for entering Iran from Iraq's northern Kurdish region. Iran accuses them of spying, but the three have said they were only out for a hike and did not realize they were crossing into Iranian territory.

Shourd was freed on $500,000 bail in September. The brother of Josh Fattal says the families want a humanitarian release for the men and do not believe the case needs to go to trial.

A group of prominent international figures released a statement Monday calling for the release of the two men, calling them “clearly innocent.” The group includes former Colombian hostage and political figure Ingrid Betancourt, Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu, and hostage negotiator Terry Waite, who himself was held by militants for nearly five years in Lebanon.