Global General

Iran opens trial of US detainees

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-06 19:09

TEHRAN - An Iranian court Sunday opened a close-door trial of three detained Americans accused of spying, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

The three Americans were arrested in Iran on July 31 last year for illegally entering Iran from its western borders and were charged with espionage last November.

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In November, the Iranian Judiciary spokesman said that Iran would try two detained Americans, Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, after Sarah Shourd was back to Iran.

The female US hiker Sarah Shourd once jailed in Iran with the other two Americans was released by Tehran's prosecutor in September on bail of $500,000 due to her health situation.

Lawyer of the three Americans said Saturday Sarah Shourd has prepared defense.

"She has prepared and sent a defense to be presented at the court irrespective of her presence or absence in the trial process," Massoud Shafiei told ISNA.

The US government considered the charges totally unfounded.