Families Of Hikers Jailed In Iran Hope For Freedom

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- While an Iranian court considers the fate of two American hikers who have been imprisoned there for two years, the families of the hikers say they are praying for compassion.

The lawyer for Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, says the court will announce its verdict on espionage charges within a week. The final hearing on the case was Sunday.

The families of the hikers issued a prepared statement saying they hoped the outcome would mean freedom for the young men. They asked their supporters to pray for them.

The Americans deny the charges and say they were only hiking in a scenic and largely peaceful area of northern Iraq near the Iranian border. Sunday was the two-year anniversary of their arrest.

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