Iran may release two US hikers held for two years

TEHRAN // Two Americans jailed in Iran on charges of espionage could be released after a court hearing slated for Sunday, their lawyer said.

Masoud Shafiei said Saturday the fact that the session in the trial of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal would coincide with the second anniversary of their arrest may indicate that they will be freed.

The Muslim world also has a tradition of pardoning prisoners for the holy month of Ramadan, which starts early next week.

The two men and Bauer's fiancee, Sarah Shourd, were detained on July 31, 2009, and Iran accused them of illegally crossing the border to spy. Shourd was released last year on $500,000 bail and has said she won't return to Iran for trial.

They deny the charges and claim they were only hiking in a scenic, mountainous area in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, near the Iranian border.

The lawyer said Shourd has not been summoned for Sunday's trial session, and he thinks that's another indication that the case is almost over and his clients will be freed.

Shafiei suggested the court could convict the two but then sentence them to time served.

"They've spent two years of their life in jail in Iran, which will serve as their sentence. And tomorrow will coincide with the second anniversary of their arrest. My clients could be released should the court hearing be held tomorrow as planned," he said.

Shafiei insisted the authorities have no evidence to prove espionage, and he pointed out the area where they were detained has a porous border.

"The espionage charge is irrelevant, and the charge of illegal entry is inconsistent with the facts. There was no clear border line and my clients are not guilty. I've provided a sufficient defense," he said.

The U.S. government has appealed for the two men to be released, insisting that they have done nothing wrong.