A day after two American hikers received an eight-year sentence for «crossing the border illegally into Iran and spying for US,» it appears the men may now be victims of Iran’s internal political tensions.
Iran has held Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal in prison for more than two years.In the weeks leading up to their sentencing, senior Iranian officials close to the president made comments to local media outlets that fueled speculation that the two men would likely be released.
According to the Christian Science Monitor, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had himself urged the court to make a light ruling.
Within the world of Iranian politics, however, a lighter sentence would have created the impression that the judiciary had caved to political pressure from the Ahmadinejad administration.
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