Hossein Derakhshan, 35, who wrote his blog mostly from outside Iran, is credited with helping to spark a surge in blogging on reform issues in Iran in 2001 by posting simple instructions in Persian on how to set up a site and begin writing online comments.

The prosecutor  called for the death penalty, but instead Derakhshan was sentenced to 19 and a half year prison just for merely enjoying the right to freedom of expression. The PEN Canada still  believes that Derakhshan remains at risk for as long as he is in prison.

That is interesting that although Derakhshan has already spent 2 years in prison, this case was not widely known till last summer.

The free speech groups call on the Iranian government to release Derakhshan immediately and meet its commitment to protect basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression.

"Prison is no place for Hossein Derakhshan or for the dozens of other writers, journalists, academics and bloggers who continue to languish in Iran’s jails."<Index on Censorship>