KION - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News WeatherObama calls on Iran to release US hikers
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Associated Press - July 30, 2010 6:44 PM ET
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - President Barack Obama is calling on Iran to immediately release three U.S. hikers detained in the Mideast country for nearly a year.
Obama says the three have never worked for the U.S government and are "innocent of any crime." He calls their detention "unjust" and says releasing the hikers "is a humanitarian imperative."
July 31 marks one year since Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were seized by Iranian authorities while on a hiking trip in northern Iraq. Their families believe they may have been captured on the Iraqi side of the border, and strongly deny Tehran's espionage accusations.
Obama says he spoke with the hikers' mothers and told them the U.S. would continue doing all it could to secure their release.
Online: Free the Hikers: http://freethehikers.org
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