10 Dec 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
According to Iranian news website Mashregh, Hossein Derakhshan, known as Iran’s “blogfather” has been released on a bail of $1.5 million after 26 months in prison. Derakhshan had received a 19-and-a-half year prison sentence, with charges including “implementation and management of obscene websites” and “cooperation with hostile states”. He is expected to return to prison shortly.
09 Dec 10 | Digital Freedom, Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Iranian authorities have sentenced a web designer to death for allegedly creating a pornographic website. Canadian resident Saeed Malekpour, 35, was convicted of “designing and moderating adult content websites,” “agitation against the regime” in Tehran, and “insulting the sanctity of Islam”. Malekpour was detained in Iran in 2008 when he returned to visit his father.
24 Nov 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, News and features
An arrest warrant has been issued for the son of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Mehdi Hashemi, whose father is an influential cleric and former president known for his opposition to President Mahmound Ahmadinejad, has been living in Britain since last year’s election. Although no specific reason for the warrant has been given, hardliners have accused him of encouraging anti-government demonstrations. During last year’s protests, authorities briefly detained the cleric’s daughter.
22 Nov 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
An 18-year-old blogger and women’s rights activist arrested last September, has been now put on trial. Navid Mohebbi is charged with acting against national security, insulting the supreme leader, making propaganda against the state and supporting the One Million Signatures women’s rights campaign.“He hasn’t been convicted yet, but I fully expect a lengthy jail sentence. They are afraid of women, of journalists/bloggers and of youth”, Mohebbi’s lawyer stated.
