2 hikers jailed in Iran get May court date

TEHRAN, April 26 (UPI) -- The two U.S. hikers who have been jailed in Iran for 19 months on charges of spying, have their third court appearance in May, their lawyer said.

After a judge's verdict was twice delayed, attorney Masoud Shafiee said Joshua Fattal and Shane Bauer have a May 11 court date, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

Judges delayed issuing a verdict earlier, citing the absence of 32-year-old Sarah Shourd, who was released on bail in September for medical reasons and returned to the United States.

The three were arrested near the border with Iraqi Kurdistan in June 2009. Iran accused the three of espionage and entering the country illegally. The three said they accidentally crossed the unmarked border and were not spies.

While Shourd's presence in court has been sought by Iran's Foreign Ministry, it is unlikely that she will return to face trial in May, Shafiee said.

"When there are several accused persons, a judge cannot postpone the case just because one of them is not present. The judge must issue separate verdicts for Shane and Josh," Shafiee told the Times. "Sara's verdict can be issued in absentia, or her case alone can be delayed."

Fattal and Bauer, both 28, have been detained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison for the past 19 months, well beyond the one-year minimum sentence for the crimes they are accused of committing. Shafiee said he wasn't allowed to meet with the men before their other two appearances, despite court assurances he could.