Free Hossein Derakhshan
Apparently, the Iranian Government has sentenced Hossein “Hoder” Derakhshan to 19.5 years in jail for “collaborating with enemy states, creating propaganda against the Islamic regime, insulting religious sanctity, and creating propaganda for anti-revolutionary groups.” If you think putting bloggers or journalists in jail is wrong, please, please take a moment to sign the petition to free him.
I’m shocked and appalled. I’d met Hoder once, when I was working with the Committee to Protect Bloggers on ways to help bloggers in repressive regimes protect their privacy and freedom of speech. He was a nice fellow, and helped me understand some little bit of the complexity of the Iranian blogosphere.
Regardless of our having met and him being a nice guy, the sentence can not be described except as insane and unjust.
No one should be in jail because of peaceful efforts to improve understanding between societies.
For more, please see the Free Hoder blog has an interview with Hoder’s mom, and there’s another blog Free the Blogfather, which is in French.
Please take a moment to sign the petition to free him, and ask your friends to do the same.