Berkeley Hikers' Moms Begin Solidarity Fast

The mothers of two Berkeley hikers held in Iran on espionage charges say they're starting a hunger strike.

Last week, Iranian authorities delayed the trial of Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal without explanation.

Bauer's mother, Cindy Hickey of Pine City, Minn., tells The Associated Press that she and Fattal's mother believe their sons are fasting. So the mothers plan to start fasting in solidarity Thursday.

Hickey says they'll fast as long as they can. Others, including Bauer's fiancèe, Sarah Shourd, will join the hunger strike Saturday.

Shourd, Bauer and Fattal were arrested along the Iraq-Iran border in July 2009. Shourd was allowed to return to the U.S. last year on bail.

The three say they were hiking in Iraq's northern Kurdish region and that any crossing into Iran was inadvertent.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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