Iran Sentences American hikers

[discoberry]

An Iranian court has sentenced two Americans accused of spying to eight years in jail, Iran's state-run television has reported.

Sources from Iran's judiciary told the news channel IRINN that Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, have each received three years for illegally entering Iran and further five years each for espionage for the US intelligence services. The channel said they have 20 days to appeal the verdict.

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/20/iran-shane-bauer-josh-fattal

[cestlefun17]

Although they certainly don't deserve jail time for espionage (or even for illegal entry, maybe just a swift kick in the pants across the border), they are still complete idiots. Who in their right mind decides to go hiking, not just in Iraq, but also so close to the Iraq–Iran border? Morons.

[Shane for Wax]

Can't the Embassy do anything? Or wait... do we not have an embassy anymore in Iran?

[ironbite]

....8 YEARS FOR JUST CROSSING THE BORDER!?

Ironbite-and what'd the chick get?

[SimSim]

Cancer. She was released last fall.

[ironbite]

Oh really?

Ironbite-that sucks.

[HarleyThomas1002]

Aug 20, 2011 10:41:01 GMT -5 cestlefun17 said:

Although they certainly don't deserve jail time for espionage (or even for illegal entry, maybe just a swift kick in the pants across the border), they are still complete idiots. Who in their right mind decides to go hiking, not just in Iraq, but also so close to the Iraq–Iran border? Morons.

I hear they have a really nice landscape.

[davedan]

Weren't they hiking in Kurdistan? There has actually been a bit of a push to boost kurdistan as a tourist destination for hiking. Apparently some of the scenery is breathtaking.

[cestlefun17]

There has actually been a bit of a push to boost kurdistan as a tourist destination for hiking. Apparently some of the scenery is breathtaking.

Well I think that prospect is dead for the time being.

It's probably not a good idea to go hiking in a war zone that borders a country ruled by a nutjob.

[DrKilljoy]

It's not like they deserved anywhere near eight years (especially since, if they were US spies, I'm an astronaut), but I really have to question the idea of Americans voluntarily going to the Middle East. The whole world available, and they go to a fascist dictatorship where everyone's going to hate them?

[Shane for Wax]

I think you're all focusing on the wrong thing. You're victim-blaming.

[discoberry]

Aug 21, 2011 19:18:17 GMT -5 DrKilljoy said:

It's not like they deserved anywhere near eight years (especially since, if they were US spies, I'm an astronaut), but I really have to question the idea of Americans voluntarily going to the Middle East. The whole world available, and they go to a fascist dictatorship where everyone's going to hate them?

It's not like they deserved anywhere near eight years

You are speaking about Iran as if it were run by sane people.

The whole world available, and they go to a fascist dictatorship where everyone's going to hate them?

Iraqi Kurdistan isn't the greatest place on earth but it's a little different than what you describe.

[DrKilljoy]

Aug 21, 2011 19:29:48 GMT -5 Shane for Wax said:

I think you're all focusing on the wrong thing. You're victim-blaming.

Not trying to, although I can see how it would've come off that way. Just fail to see the appeal of the place.

[cestlefun17]

I think you're all focusing on the wrong thing. You're victim-blaming.

They obviously don't deserve this punishment, and wouldn't receive this treatment if we lived in a sane world. But we don't live in a sane world, and these hikers should have planned their vacation more responsibly. If you go to an area run by crazy people, you have to play by the crazy people's rules. Because they just had to go hiking there, they've started a whole international incident with a country we already have tense relations with.

I don't even understand why they were allowed to enter Iraq. There is no reason for any American to be going to Iraq unless you're a member of the military, a journalist, visiting close family, or conducting some sort of legitimate research.

[Shane for Wax]

Aug 21, 2011 19:43:07 GMT -5 DrKilljoy said:

Aug 21, 2011 19:29:48 GMT -5 Shane for Wax said:

I think you're all focusing on the wrong thing. You're victim-blaming.

Not trying to, although I can see how it would've come off that way. Just fail to see the appeal of the place.

I don't see the appeal of a lot of places but I wouldn't judge those who do decide to go. Especially after they've been arrested and are made to stay in that place for 8 years for doing something entirely innocent.