The Blogfather’s Birthday

Today is Hossein Derakhshan’s 35th birthday. Today also marks one year, two months, and six days since his imprisonment.  He has been illegally detained since November 2008. During his confinement he has been tortured, both physically, and psychologically.  He has never been charged, or brought before a court.

Today, on his birthday, let’s honor him publicly.  Tweet.  Blog.  Speak out.  Call your elected representatives.

Petition for Release

There is a petition for Hoder’s release circulating: http://www.gopetition.com/online/31859.html.

Please sign the petition, and visit the Iran Information Project for more info.

CPB Interviews Hamed Derakhshan, and other press

Notable press on Hoder’s case this week:

• The Committee to Protect Bloggers has just done an interview with Hoder’s brother Hamed, here.
• Iranian-American journalist Cyrus Farivar has written an excellent report, with audio, for MediaShift.
• PRI’s The World has a podcast up.

We urge you to continue spreading the word – by blogging, contacting journalists, and tweeting (follow @freehoder for updates).  We also urge you to contact organizations that might have influence, particularly in Canada.  If you are Canadian, please contact your representatives.

One Year Later, Hoder is Still Behind Bars

From the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran:

(28 October 2009) The Iranian Judiciary should release Hossein Derakhshan, a blogger who has been in detention without trial for the past year, as well as dozens of other political detainees held without trial, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

“Derakhshan’s case is typical of the lack of justice and due process in Iran’s Judiciary. How can the authorities justify holding him for a year without even charging him or putting him on trial? He is another victim of the intelligence apparatus’ manipulation of the judicial process,” said Hadi Ghaemi, a spokesperson for the Campaign.

In addition to Derakhshan, dozens of Iranian journalists, intellectuals, and activists are also held without charge and with no respect for due process principles and judicial transparency. They include, inter alia, Keyvan Samimi, Bahman Ahmadi Amoie, Abdollah Momeni, Mohammad Maleki, Ahmad Zeidabadi, Hangameh Shahid, Mohammad Ghoochani, Saeed Leylaz, Azar Mansouri, Shapour Kazemi, Issa Saharkhiz, Mohammad Reza Moghiseh, Fariba Pezhuh, Mostafa Tajzadeh, Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, Behzad Nabavi, Mohsen Mirdamadi, Feyzollah Arabsorkhi, and Mohsen Aminzadeh.

According to information received by the Campaign, Derakhshan, detained at his home on 1 November 2008, spent nearly ten months in solitary confinement during which he was subjected to beatings to coerce him to make false confessions of having ties to the CIA and Israeli intelligence services. A relative of Derakhshan told the Campaign that he recanted his coerced confession in the presence of a judge and his lawyer, but the authorities continue to detain him without providing any information to his family regarding the judicial case against him. Derakhshan is currently being held in Tehran’s Evin prison.

The judge in his case has been changed twice, but currently it is not clear what branch of the Revolutionary Courts is in charge. Furthermore, the authorities have not provided his family with any information about the charges against him. His family has been able to visit him only twice during the past year.

The Campaign expressed its serious concern for the health and safety of Derakhshan and all other detainees who remain in jail without access to their families and lawyers. The Campaign urged the Judiciary not to allow its duties to be subjugated to the demands of intelligence agencies, which are manipulating the Judiciary and holding detainees without proper judicial proceedings.

Ethan Zuckerman urges readers of his blog to continue talking and blogging about Hoder, not because it will have an impact on Iranian authorities, rather, for the purpose of lobbying the Canadian government to take a stronger stance.

Do you have suggestions for Canadian NGOs to lobby? Share them here and we will post them.

Following the arrest and subsequent release of Iranian-American reporter Roxana Saberi, we are surprised that Hoder’s case has received little media attention. In fact, mentions of Hossein Derakhshan during Saberi’s trial were limited to brief updates such as the following: “Ahmadinejad also urged the chief Tehran prosecutor to allow jailed Canadian-Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan the right to fully defend himself.”

We again call on Iran for transparency in the case of Hossein Derakhshan and plead with the Canadian government to defend one of their citizens.

Hoder’s Arrest Confirmed by Iran

In the midst of continued attacks upon Gaza, Iran has finally confirmed the arrest of Hossein Derakhshan.

From the Associated Press via the International Herald Tribune:

Iran confirmed on Tuesday that a well-known Iranian-Canadian blogger, who had made trips to Israel, was in detention.

Judiciary spokesman Ali Reza Jamshidi told reporters that Hossein Derakhshan was detained under order from the revolutionary court.

Derakshan, described as the “father” of Iran’s vigorous blogging scene, had been rumored to be in prison for the last two months according to international human rights groups, before Tuesday’s confirmation.

He was detained in November, few weeks after he returned to Iran.

Jamshidi says Derakhshan was charged with insulting religious figures. He did not elaborate.

And Reuters:

“His case is in a preliminary investigative stage at a revolutionary court and he is currently in incarceration in a jail in Tehran,” judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi told a news conference when asked about Derakhshan’s case.

Write to:

57 Shahid Sarafraz Street
Ostad Motahari Avenue
Tehran, 15868, Iran

Postal Address
P.O. Box 11155-4647
Tehran, 15868, Iran

Tel.: 98 (21) 8152-0000
Fax: 98 (21) 8873-3200
Email: teran@international.gc.ca

—

List of MPs can be found here.

Statement by Iranian Bloggers on Hossein Derakhshan

A group of Iranian bloggers have made a public statement regarding the arrest of Hossein Derakhshan. The statement, originally posted at eyeranian.net, also appeared on MR Zine, and reads:

We, the undersigned, view the circumstances surrounding the Iranian authorities’ arrest of Hossein Derakhshan aka Hoder, one of the most prominent Iranian bloggers, as extremely worrying. Derakhshan’s disappearance, detention at an unknown location, lack of access to his family and attorneys, and the authorities’ failure to provide clear information about his potential charges is a source of concern for us.

The Iranian blogging community is one of the largest and most vibrant in the world. From ordinary citizens to the President, a diverse and large number of Iranians are engaged in blogging. These bloggers encompass a wide spectrum of views and perspectives, and they play a vital role in open discussions of social, cultural and political affairs.

Unfortunately, in recent years, numerous websites and blogs have been routinely blocked by the authorities, and some bloggers have been harassed or detained. Derakhshan’s detention is but the latest episode in this ongoing saga and is being viewed as an attempt to silence and intimidate the blogging community as a whole.

Derakhshan’s own position regarding a number of prisoners of conscience in Iran has been a source of contention among the blogging community and has caused many to distance themselves from him. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that the freedom of expression is sacred for all not just the ones with whom we agree.

We therefore categorically condemn the circumstances surrounding Derakhshan’s arrest and detention and demand his immediate release.

Signed, in alphabetical order:

Arash Abadpour

Niki Akhavan

Hossein Bagher Zadeh

Sanam Dolatshahi

Mehdi Jami

Jahanshah Javid

Abdee Kalantari

Sheema Kalbasi

Nazli Kamvari

Nazy Kaviani

Peyvand Khorsandi

Nikahang Kowsar

Omid Memarian

Pedram Moallemian

Ali Moayedian

Ebrahim Nabavi

Masoome Naseri

Shahrnush Parsipur

Khodadad Rezakhani

Leva Zand

(View the original for links to the signatories’ blogs).

Advocating for Hoder

There are a number of advocacy groups, journalists, and news outlets which have been advocating for Hoder. Today, an article at Iranian.com by Nazanin Afshin-Jam, former Miss World Canada and Iranian-Canadian human rights advocate was posted.

In the article, Afshin-Jam details how she was interviewed by Hossein Derakhshan four years ago after winning her title; she states:

At that time I found Derakhshan, aka “Hoder”, to be a young, hip, Iranian-Canadian with a good sense of humour. I admired the fact that he publicly wrote on his blogs about democratic reform and the repression of freedom of expression that exists in Iran under the current regime.

She then goes on to say that a few years later she witnessed Derakhshan’s change in politics and was even victim to his criticism in her own blog. Yet, she still supports his release, stating:

Despite Mr. Derakhshan’s controversial, and slanderous record, he should be protected by law under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Articles 9 and 10 of the UDHD state that: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.” and “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”

Afshin-Jam urges readers to take action by writing to Iranian authorities:

APPEALS TO:

Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran 1316814737,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence,
Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei,
The Office of the Supreme LeaderIslamic Republic Street -
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.irSalutation:
Your Excellency

Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
His Excellency Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran 1316814737,
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (there are problems with this line, please try three times)
Email: int_aff@judiciary.ir (In the subject line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)

And to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.