The People Behind the Imprisoned Hikers’ Release

The Takeaway

The State Department has confirmed that two Americans who have been imprisoned in Iran have been  released. Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal were captured by while hiking along the Iran-Iraq border and charged with espionage two years ago. Over the last two years since their arrest, numerous diplomats, politicians, and NGOs have advocated on behalf of Bauer and Fattal, pressing Iran to release the men. One of the groups that have worked tirelessly on the case is Search for Common Ground. William Miller, a former U.S. ambassador, is a senior adviser to Search for Common Ground, and talks about his advocacy on behalf of the  detainees. Nihad Awad, president of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, was part of a delegation trying to get the hikers released.

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