Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- The two U.S. hikers detained for two grueling years in Iran on spying charges have been sentenced to eight years in prison, state-run TV reported Saturday.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer each received five years for espionage -- specifically "cooperating with the American intelligence service" -- and three years for illegal entry, the IRINN reported, quoting an "informed" judiciary source.
They have 20 days to appeal their sentence, which was handed down by the Revolutionary Court, IRINN reported.
Fattal and Bauer and another person, Sarah Shourd, were seized on July 31, 2009 when they were hiking in the Iraqi Kurdish region and allegedly crossed into Iran illegally.
The case has exacerbated tensions between United States and Iran, longtime adversaries over the Islamic republic's nuclear aspirations and Iran's ties to anti-American militants in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The United States has repeatedly called for their release. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a recent statement Bauer and Fattal, held in Iran's notorious Evin prison, "have been imprisoned too long, and it is time to reunite them with their families.
"World leaders, such as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have urged Iran to release the men.
Iranian police said the Americans illegally entered Iran. The Tehran Prosecutor's office has "compelling evidence" that the three were cooperating with U.S. intelligence agencies, Press TV has reported.
Shourd has said the hikers did not know they had crossed the border while hiking. Fattal and Bauer pleaded not guilty to the charges. The three are graduates of the University of California at Berkeley.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast...+(RSS:+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Reader
Obama should send a few more strongly worded letters to Iran to tell them of his displeasure of locking up his spies.
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer each received five years for espionage -- specifically "cooperating with the American intelligence service" -- and three years for illegal entry, the IRINN reported, quoting an "informed" judiciary source.
They have 20 days to appeal their sentence, which was handed down by the Revolutionary Court, IRINN reported.
Fattal and Bauer and another person, Sarah Shourd, were seized on July 31, 2009 when they were hiking in the Iraqi Kurdish region and allegedly crossed into Iran illegally.
The case has exacerbated tensions between United States and Iran, longtime adversaries over the Islamic republic's nuclear aspirations and Iran's ties to anti-American militants in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
The United States has repeatedly called for their release. U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in a recent statement Bauer and Fattal, held in Iran's notorious Evin prison, "have been imprisoned too long, and it is time to reunite them with their families.
"World leaders, such as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, have urged Iran to release the men.
Iranian police said the Americans illegally entered Iran. The Tehran Prosecutor's office has "compelling evidence" that the three were cooperating with U.S. intelligence agencies, Press TV has reported.
Shourd has said the hikers did not know they had crossed the border while hiking. Fattal and Bauer pleaded not guilty to the charges. The three are graduates of the University of California at Berkeley.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast...+(RSS:+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Reader
Obama should send a few more strongly worded letters to Iran to tell them of his displeasure of locking up his spies.