DESMOND TUTU CALLS FOR #USHIKERS’ RELEASE AGAIN:
ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU: “RELEASE 3 US HIKERS HELD IN IRAN”
(The Associated Press)
JOHANNESBURG — Retired South African archbishop Desmond Tutu is calling for the urgent release of three American hikers detained for nearly nine months in Iran.
In a statement Wednesday, Tutu says two of the hikers are ill and they are all suffering emotionally and are considering a hunger strike. He says Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd have committed no crime.
The three Americans have been held since crossing the border from Iraq in July. Their families say they unintentionally strayed while hiking.
They all attended the University of California at Berkeley. Fattal’s family lives near Philadelphia, Bauer’s in Pine City, Minnesota, and Shourd’s in Oakland, California.
Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, is the former head of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF HIS LATEST STATEMENT:
I urgently call on the Islamic Republic of Iran to release Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd on humanitarian grounds. Nine months after these three young people were detained, there is a pressing need for Iran finally to release them into the care of their loving and anguished families.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Desmond Tutu
Since I last spoke on behalf of Shane, Josh and Sarah in February, their emotional state has deteriorated significantly. They are suffering from desperation and hopelessness and have considered the extreme step of a hunger strike. This would have grave consequences for their health, in particular for Shane and Sarah, who are both sick.
A nation of Iran’s stature should not act in a cruel and inhumane manner, or punish innocent individuals for the disagreements that exist with the United States. Shane, Josh and Sarah have done no wrong. Iran should act in accordance with the universal principles of justice, compassion and humanity and set them free.
~Archbishop Desmond Tutu
About the author
| Print article | This entry was posted by Administrator on April 29, 2010 at 12:02 AM, and is filed under FYI, MEDIA COVERAGE, PRINT NEWS REPORTS, STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT, UPDATES. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
