Nov 9, 2009 1:04 pm US/Pacific
Clinton Blasts Iranian Charges Against Cal Grads
BERKELEY (CBS 5 / BCN) ―
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(From left to right) Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd.
Freethehikers.org
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday that she doesn't think there's any basis for Iran to file any charges against three University of California at Berkeley graduates who have been detained for more than 100 days.
Shane Bauer, 27, Sarah Shourd, 31, and Josh Fattal, 27, have been held in Iran since July 31. Their family members say they were detained after they crossed an unmarked border into Iran while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Bauer and Shourd have freelanced for New America Media in San Francisco. Fattak is from Pennsylvania.
Responding to reports that a senior Iranian prosecutor has accused the three Americans of espionage, Clinton told reporters at a news conference in Berlin Monday, "We believe strongly that there is no evidence to support any charge whatsoever."
According to a transcript released by her office, Clinton, who is in Germany for events marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, said, "We would renew our request on behalf of these three young people and their families that the Iranian government exercise compassion and release them so they can return home."
Clinton said, "We will continue to make that case through our Swiss protecting power, who represents the United States in Iran."
A vigil marking the 100th day of the Americans' detention was held in Berkeley Sunday night. Similar gatherings were held at more than 20 other locations in the U.S. and overseas.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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