The families of three Americans arrested in Iran last month are renewing their call for their loved ones’ release ahead of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the United States next week. The three are believed to have mistakenly crossed over into Iran while hiking in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region. The detained Americans have been identified as Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Joshua Fattal. Bauer is a freelance journalist who has written for The Nation magazine and the Pacific News Service. On Thursday, Bauer’s mother, Cindy Hickey, spoke of the impact of his imprisonment.

Cindy Hickey: “Well, just on a day-to-day basis, it’s been very up and down for us, very emotional. Part of my — I have three children. Part of my family is not with me. It’s left a huge hole in my heart. And while we’re waiting for his return, we’re also having to continue our jobs and our life, and it’s been very hard to do that.”

Ahmadinejad will be in New York next week to attend the UN General Assembly.