On July 31, 2009, three American hikers left their hotel in northern Iraq. The hikers were: 31-year-old Sarah Shroud, her boyfriend Shane Bauer and their friend Josh Fattal. During their hike, the trio took a wrong turn, and may have strayed over the border into the nation of Iran. They were captured by Iranian soliders and were arrested on the spot. Then, they were thrown in jail and accused of being American spies.

All told, Ms. Shroud spent 410 days in prison -- a nearly 14-month-long sentence. She was kept in solitary confinement, in a cell measuring 10 ft x 5 ft. Her only contact with her friends came for two thirty-minute periods each day, when she was briefly allowed outside. Otherwise, Sarah was completely cut off from the world she had once known.

After more than a year, Sarah was released. Today on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' (weekdays, syndicated), Sarah gave her first interview since escaping Iran. She discussed what it was like to be falsely accused of being a spy -- and what kept her going during her dark days in jail.

"There was a moment that it hit me," she said to Oprah, "that this was going to be ... a bigger deal than my worst fears." Sarah was referring to the fact that she was interrogated for two months while in solitary confinement -- and there came a time when the Iranian government simply decided that she was guilty of being a spy, even though there was no evidence for this. "It really doesn't matter if you're innocent or not," the Iranian investigator told her.

Sarah said what sustained her in jail were memories of her family -- especially of her mother. "I just thought about her terror," she said. She felt she had to be brave for her mom's sake, and thoughts of her loved ones helped give her hope. Sarah's mom was in the 'Oprah' audience, and wept openly while her daughter talked about this.

Finally, after 410 days, Shroud was released in exchange for $500,000 in bail money -- essentially because the Iranian authorities were worried about her physical health.

But although Sarah is free now, her two companions remain in jail, facing potential ten-year sentences for seemingly baseless charges of espionage. Sarah got engaged to Shane Bauer while they were held captive, and wants to obtain his release and the release of Josh Fattal. If you're interested in aiding the prisoners' cause or in sending them a postcard, you can get more information by going here.