3 mothers of detained US hikers leave Tuesday for Tehran; to ask Iranian leaders for release

Moms of 3 US hikers to leave Tuesday for Iran

NEW YORK — The mothers of three American hikers plan to leave Tuesday for Tehran where they said they will appeal to Iranian leaders to release their children from prison.

Cindy Hickey, Nora Shourd and Laura Fattal arrived in New York Sunday after receiving visas last week. Their children — Hickey’s son, Shane Bauer, 27; his girlfriend, Sarah Shourd, 31; and their friend, Josh Fattal, 27 — have been detained since last July after being arrested along the Iraqi border, but have not been brought to trial or publicly charged with a crime.

“We are overjoyed that we will soon be able to hug our children, but our joy is naturally clouded by the fear of returning home without Shane, Sarah and Josh,” the mothers said in a statement Monday. “That is more than any mother anywhere in the world should have to bear and we would be absolutely devastated.”

The hikers are accused by Iran of spying. Relatives and the U.S. government have denied the accusations and called for their release.

The mothers hope to meet with Iran officials and ask them to free the hikers.

“We trust they will act with compassion, end our heartache, and let us all be together again as families,” the mothers said.

Nora Shourd sublet her Oakland, Calif., home and moved in with Hickey in rural Pine City, Minn. Laura Fattal is from suburban Philadelphia. The mothers said their children have not been allowed access to their Iranian lawyer and have spoken to relatives only once by telephone on March 9 for just a few minutes.

The hikers are despondent about the lack of movement on their case and have talked about going on a hunger strike, the moms said.

“This nightmare has lasted too long,” the mothers said.

On the Net:

Free the Hikers: www.freethehikers.org