- Target:
- Ayatollah Larijani, The Islamic Republic of Iran et al
- Region:
- GLOBAL
- Website:
- en.wikipedia.org
Update: September 21, 2010 Trial has been held and the prosecutor has requested the death penalty by execution for Hossein 'Hoder' Derakhshan. The sentencing verdict has not been delivered to the court but the risk is implied. Please sign and forward petition to all contacts. Thank you.
Hossein 'Hoder' Derakhshan is an Iranian-Canadian Blogger, journalist, and internet activist. He has been advocating the use of the internet as a means for social and political reform in Iran.
He is credited with starting the blogging revolution in Iran and is called by many journalists as the father of Persian blogging or the 'Blogfather'. He also helped to promote podcasting in Iran. His weblog, like some other political Persian blogs and websites, has been blocked (or filtered) by the government in Iran, since 2004
On leaving Iran, he was shortly detained and summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. A few days later he was interrogated by an intelligence official over the content of his blog and was forced to sign an apology before being allowed to leave Iran.
After returning to iran On November 1, 2008, Derakhshan was arrested at his family home in Tehran.
As of late April 2009, the New York Times stated that Derakhshan remained under detention and had not been charged. However, by late October 2009, approaching the one-year anniversary of his arrest, his family began speaking out to Persian and English-language media. His father, Hassan Derakhshan, most notably released an open letter to the new head of the Iranian Judiciary, Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani. asking for more information about his son's detention.
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
To: Ayatollah Larijani, The Islamic Republic of Iran et al
The petitioners respectfully request the immediate release of Hossein Darekhshan, the Iranian-Canadian blogger, who has been imprisoned at Evin since November 1, 2008, without having been charged with any crime.
Mr. Derakhshan has been held in detention, largely without access to his family and/or legal counsel, and he has been denied his basic rights under the law. He has also been forced to sign false and incriminating confessions under extreme duress.
Respectfully,
The Petitioners
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The Release Hossein 'Hoder' Derakhshan from Evin Prison petition to Ayatollah Larijani, The Islamic Republic of Iran et al was written by Walton K. Martin III and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.