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| Iran says detained Slovaks ‘violated the law’ |
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.jpg) TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Sunday confirmed the detention of seven Slovak nationals that had “violated” the country’s laws.
The Slovak news website www.sme.sk said on Friday that a group of Slovak hang-gliders, who had traveled to Iran in late May for a planned expedition, had been detained in Iran on suspicion of espionage some three weeks ago, according to Reuters.
According to sme.sk, they were accused of taking photographs, including of military installations, from a hang-glider.
Speaking to ISNA, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi said, “These individuals had come to Iran for a tourist visit and were holding tourist visas, but their actions and equipment were unconventional. These people violated the Islamic Republic of Iran’s laws and were then arrested by the relevant authorities.”
“Judicial investigation into their (case) is underway,” he added.
“We have informed the Slovak government of the arrest of these people. The country’s ambassador to Tehran is aware of the situation,” he said, adding that consular access has been granted to the detained individuals.
Araqchi did not provide further details, but in an interview with the Mehr News Agency on the same day, he put the number of the detainees at seven.
In 2011, Iran freed two U.S. citizens - Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer - who had been sentenced to eight years in jail for spying after being arrested while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border in 2009. They denied being spies. Neighboring Oman helped secure their release by posting bail of $1 million.
A third person detained with them, Sarah Shourd, was freed in 2010, also by way of Oman.
EP/PA
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