American hikers imprisoned in Iran freed today

Story from The Takeaway. Listen to audio above for full report.

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.

The fate of the two men has been unclear since last week when, a day after President Mahmoud Amadinedjad told The Today Show that the hikers would be freed, Iran’s judiciary said Ahmadinejad had no authority to release them.

The men were released on $1 million bail.

Thomas Erdbrink, Tehran bureau chief for The Washington Post, covered the story from in front of the prison where the men were being held. He says it’s still unclear whether the men would be allowed to leave the country.

“According to Iranian law, anybody who places bail is free to go wherever he or she wants,” Erdbrink said. “Still the Iranian judiciary gave out an ambiguous statement saying their final fate will be decided after the final court case. This could mean the court case could happen with them being absent, but it could also mean that they’ll have to wait till the final court case.”

Read more on The New York Times website.

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“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.