TEHRAN - The trial of three U.S. citizens who were arrested in Iran in 2009 was held in a closed session on Sunday, with Sarah Shourd in absentia.

Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer, and Joshua Fattal, were arrested on July 31, 2009 by border guards after illegally entering Iran’s territory from Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The three have been charged with illegal entry and espionage.
Shourd was released from prison on bail of $500,000 on September 14, 2010.
On January 31, Judiciary spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei said that Shourd has been called to attend the trial session.
Iran had already announced that if Shourd does not return to Iran to stand trial, the bail put up for her release will be seized.
Swiss ambassador to Tehran Livia Leu Agosti told IRNA on Sunday, “I am not aware why she (Shourd) did not attend the court. It was Shourd’s personal decision.”
Iran has no diplomatic relations with the United States and the Swiss embassy protects U.S. interests in Tehran