Amnesty International has condemned the conviction of two Americans held in Iran for spying and illegally crossing the border. Amnesty said the eight-year jail sentences for Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, both 29, made a “mockery of justice” and were designed to be used as “a bargaining chip to allow Iran to obtain unspecified concessions from the US government.” No evidence has ever been presented to suggest the men were involved in espionage. Bauer is a freelance journalist who has contributed to Democracy Now! and other news outlets.