The lawyer for UC Berkeley graduate Sarah Shourd, who has been detained in Iran for just over a year now, says her family is appealing to authorities to drop a demand for $500,000 bail in exchange for her release because it cannot afford the amount.
Masoud Shafiei tells The Associated Press he is aware that Swiss diplomats -- who handle U.S. affairs in Iran -- are asking that the bail be dropped or lowered. He says Shourd's family is apparently facing difficulty raising the money.
Shafiei says he has no word Monday on Iran's response.
Iran's judiciary granted the bail on health grounds Sunday. Shourd, 32, was detained in July 2009 along the border with Iraq with fellow Cal grads Josh Fattel and Shane Bauer, who are also jailed in Tehran.
Their families have said the trio was just hiking along the border and meant no harm. Iran has issued indictments on spy-related charges.
Iran's government said on Friday that they would release one of the jailed hikers as part of a goodwill gesture to mark the end of Ramadan. Shourd, who's mother lives in Oakland, is suffering from a gynecological condition and has also told her mother she found a lump in her breast.
