The Iranian government has delayed the trial of three American hikers who were arrested in June 2009 near the Iran-Iraq border. The trial of Shane Bauer, Josh Fatal and Sarah Shourd was due to begin Wednesday, but the Iranian government unexpectedly postponed the case. The hikers’ lawyer, Masoud Shafiee, said he had received no explanation on the delay.

Masoud Shafiee: “The head of judiciary is responsible for and should provide a logical reason as to why my clients have not been sent from prison to the courtroom, the date of which had been confirmed over five months ago. Is the prison at my disposal so that I can bring my clients from prison? Logically, the judiciary should oversee this.”

Bauer and Fatal are imprisoned in Iran, while Shourd is back in the United States following her release last year. She is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and has refused to return to Iran for the trial.