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).

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