We, the undersigned, view the circumstances surrounding the Iranian authorities' arrest of Hossein Derakhshan (hoder.com), 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.
Arash Abadpour
//kamangir.net/
Mohammad Afrasiabi
//amoo-arvand.blogspot.com/
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
//www.nazanin.ca/
Niki Akhavan
//benevis-dige.blogspot.com/
Pouya Alagheband
//fromvan.persianblog.ir/
Asdollah Alimohammadi
//www.mebaily.com/
Youness Alvandi
//www.younessa.com/
Anahita Aloocheh Khanoom
//aloochehkhanoom.blogspot.com/
Mehrdad Aref-Adib
//www.aref-adib.com
Bahare
//2khtarekhorshid.com/
Hossein Bagher Zadeh
//iranian.com/main/blog/hossein-bagher-zadeh
Bahram
//letrepersan.wordpress.com/
Banadfsheh
//banafsheh192.blogfa.com/
Qumars Bolourchian
//iranian.com/main/blog/q
Taha Bazri
//www.bazri.com/
Mani Behrouz
//mpahlavi.blogspot.com/
Behdad Borbdar
//parakandeham.blogspot.com/
Deserter
//deserter.wordpress.com/
Sanam Dolatshahi
//www.khorshidkhanoom.com/
The flying dutchman
//silisia1983.blogfa.com/
Mohammad Ali Entezari
//kallesangi.blogspot.com/
David Etebari
//peyvast.blog.com/
Fereshteh Ghazi
//www.fereshteh.blogfa.com/
Hossein Ghazian
//www.daal.ir/
Armin Gilehmard
//gilehmard.blogspot.com/
Farhad Heyrani
//farhadheyrani.blogspot.com/
Bamdad Irani
//bamdadi.com/
IranWrites
//iranian.com/main/blog/iranwrites
Sadegh Jam
//blognevesht.com/
Mehdi Jami
//sibestaan.malakut.org/
Jahanshah Javid
//iranian.com/main/blog/jahanshah-javid
Navid K
//www.livebee.wordpress.com/
Sadegh Kabeer
//www.eterazonline.com/
Sohrab Kabuli
//www.kabuli.org/
Darius Kadivar
//iranian.com/main/blog/darius-kadivar
Abdee Kalantari
//www.nilgoon.org
Sheema Kalbasi
//www.zaneirani.blogspot.com/
Mohammad Ali Kallesangi
//kallesangi.blogspot.com/
Nazli Kamvari
//sibiltala.blogspot.com/
Nazy Kaviani
//nazykaviani.blogspot.com/
Haji Kensington
//www.mibibi.com/
Yaser Kerachian
//vahid.blogspot.com
Naz Khatoun
//www.nazkhatoun.com/
Mani Khorsandi
//gapvgoft.blogspot.com/
Peyvand Khorsandi
//soulbean.wordpress.com/
Foaad Khosmood
//iranian.com/main/blog/foaad-khosmood
Nikahang Kowsar
//nikahang.blogspot.com/
Mardetanha
//mardetanha.blogspot.com/
Marjaneh
//marjaneh.blogsky.com/
Abbas Maroufi
//maroufi.malakut.org/
Mehran Mehrafshan
//xseer.com/
Omid Memarian
//omidmemarian.blogspot.com/
Seraj Mirdamadi
//www.roozneveshtha.com/
Pedram Moallemian
//www.eyeranian.net/
Ali Moayedian
//payvand.com/
Farhad Mortaz
//www.fmortaz.blogspot.com
Mostafa
//cafenaderi.wordpress.com/
Motevalled
//www.motevalled.blogspot.com/
Ebrahim Nabavi
//www.doomdam.com/
Babak Nabizadeh
//cloudy.blogsky.com/
Hadi Naseri
//hadinaseri.blogfa.com/
Masoome Naseri
//www.mimnoon.com/
Niloofar
//www.sunisblind.blogspot.com/
Partow Nooriala
//noorialapartow.blogfa.com/
Kaveh Nouraee
//iranian.com/main/blog/kaveh-nouraee
Zainolabedin Nourani
//nourani.blogfa.com/
Niloufar Parsi
//iranian.com/main/blog/niloufar-parsi
Shahrnush Parsipur
//www.shahrnushparsipur.com/
Farhad Radmehrian
//iranian.com/main/blog/farrad02
Ahmad Rafat
//rafat.malakut.org/
Fati Raja
//www.fatiraja.blogspot.com
Shadi Ramez
//measer-pear.blogspot.com/
Paris Rezaie
//www.excounty.blogspot.com
Khodadad Rezakhani
//www.vishistorica.com/
Arash Royayee
//www.dreamlandblog.com/
Farnaz Seifi
//farnaaz.org/
Cyrus Shahidi
//andishehblog.wordpress.com/
Sahand Shams
//www.sahandshams.blogspot.com/
Ari Siletz
//arisiletz.com/
Zan Zamini
//zamin4.blogfa.com/
Leva Zand
//balootak.com/
Zeitoon
//z8un.com/
Sameddin Ziaee
//sameddin-ziaee.blogspot.com/
Majid Zohari
//www.majidzohari.com/
[If you are a blogger and wish to add your name to this list, leave a comment below]
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Just in defense of free
by Atoosa (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 05:45 PM PSTJust in defense of free speech
I sign it.
by Majid Zohari (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 05:12 PM PSTMajid Zohari - Toronto, Canada.
Please add my blog as well
by Bamdad Irani (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 01:57 PM PSTDear Jahanshah, please add my blog to the list,
I personally would have preferred a better presented letter, something more clear and to the point not filled with general comments about freedom of speech without any specific receiver.
However I admire the effort and I do support it, now it is no time to talk about the details and I can obviously see the meaning and intention of your move, therefore I support it.
I support it too.
by Yaser Kerachian (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 01:36 PM PST//vahid.blogspot.com
Yaser Kerachian
in defence of free speech
by mohammad mohseni (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 01:07 PM PSTFree Hoder plz
please add my blog and name to the list.
by Cyrus Shahidi (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:18 PM PST//andishehblog.wordpress.com/
cyrus shahidi
Switzerland, Geneve.
let him write
by AliR (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:03 PM PSTI'm used to following up on his weblog and it's sad that he doesn't write anymore.
I never figured out how he didn't evolve to anything similar to a journalist/writer. His short paragraphs gave me some kind of perspective tho.
let's have him free and writing.
You are right
by Souri on Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:44 AM PSTIt is not abut Derakhshan. It is about our priorities and responsibilities. As I said, in a general scale, we all do support him and we want his immediate release from detention, but in a more specific theme, the image of this is :
Someone says I will walk trough the fire and you will see that nothing will happen to me and I will be just fine !!
Of course when he gets in the fire, we will do all we can to get him out, but still I feel a kind of frusration when I compare him with the innocent people who get themselves in the same situation without their own pre-meditated action, the ones who are the real defender of the human rights and freedom.
Otherwise, I always support freedom of speech, and you know that.
add me too
by hadi naseri (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:33 AM PSTplease add my sign. i published the letter in my blog. thx.
Jahanshah
by Kaveh Nouraee on Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:32 AM PSTKindly add my name to the petition. Thank you.
Iranian bloggers' letter
by samz1345 on Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:36 AM PSTWhatever Derakhshan believes or has done that I'm not agree with them,but in the name of free speech,add my name too plz: Sameddin Ziaee
//sameddin-ziaee.blogspot.com
Derakhshan
by Jahanshah Javid on Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:19 AM PSTThanks Souri. It's no secret that many have strong disagreements with Derakhshan. But whatever he has done or believes does not warrant his detention and denial of civil and human rights. This is not an argument about Derakhshan, but about respecting free speech for all -- including those we disagree with.
Denial or provocative ?
by Souri on Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:53 AM PSTDear Jahanshah,
I appreciate your effort for the cause of freedom for everyone, especially for the journalist and bloggers.
I value this petition as a great proof of standing for the freedom of speech from all Iranian in diaspora: bloggers, journalists, ordinary people.
I support the petition and hope Hoder will soon be released. We always condemned the arrest, sanction or intimidation of all Iranian, and all the journalist who speak for freedom, in particular.
Despite all the good intention and heartfelt hope for Hoder's release from prison, I have still one question:
How can I describe his action ?
Hoder's political views were always clearly stated in his blogs. Most of us, don't agree with him, but this does not imply that we do agree with his arrest. But I would like to understand the logic or motivation behind his action. He always stated his opinion in regard to the government of Iran, the way the IRI does not perform accordingly to the democratic values and international human right's protocol. Hoder also stated his position in regard to Israel and the way the IRI is treating Israel in the international scale.
I am wondering then, how and why would this happen that a journalist/blogger with this state of belief and with this precedent and background, would decide to go back to Iran, right after traveling to Israel, which is considered as an enemy for the IRI?
Hoder is an intellecutal (at least he proclaim himself to be one) and he knows exactly the situation and the undemocratic laws in Iran. He knows that no Iranian have the right to travel to Israel without the permission and providing a valid reason for this trip.
Not so long ago (almost 25 years ago) if as an Iranian, you were unfortunate to choose to travel from Europe to Iran by Aeroflot (the soviet travel company) you would have lots of Q & A at your entrence in US and most of other western countries.
I am just wondering, how was Hoder looking to this act of himself, a heroic action or a provocative one ? Is he looking for the same celebrity and popularity as Ganji ? or is he really in a state of denial as to how the Iranian government of today is functioning ?
a link from Hoder's website :
//hoderiniran.com/1387/07/104
With all due respect,
Free Hoder
by Mohammad Eslami (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:03 AM PST"the freedom of expression is sacred for all not just the ones with whom we agree."
Couldn't agree more.
Thanks JJ.
Please add my name too
by Mahmoud Azimaee (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:00 AM PSTI would like to support this too.
Thanks
Finally an authentic petition
by Therer is hope (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 09:41 AM PSTThe signatories are real and they are such great people, and the petition in genuine. Even if one does not agree with Derakhshan’s views one can still agree that he is entitled to express them. He went to Israel against the wishing of the ruling class, but so what? His reasons for doing it are all the open in his blogs.
Sorry I couldn't put my given name up there, but I support you in the spirit of it.
In defence of free speech
by soroush (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 09:34 AM PSTNo one has the right to limit another's freedom of speech. We are all endowed with a brain and have the right to use it and to express our opinion in all matters as we see them.
www.Soroushphotocreations.com
I support it too
by QIL (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 09:32 AM PSTFree Hoder!
Thank you JJ
by ahvazi on Thu Dec 18, 2008 08:29 AM PSTFor taking this action. Despite the unfortunate and venomous words of Hossein against his hamvatans, I believe he should be freed and enjoy the same freedoms that many in Iran are striving everyday to achieve.
Thanks Jahanshah
by Niki on Thu Dec 18, 2008 08:23 AM PSTI think you deserve a lot of credit on this. Few other people would be able to draw such a diverse group of signers on one petition. Thanks again for your efforts on this, and I hope that hossein is released safe and sound in the very near future.
Free Him
by Nima Akbarpour (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 08:15 AM PSTI support this too
Support
by MehranM (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 07:54 AM PSTMehran Mehrafshan
//xseer.com/
To the government in Iran:
by B. (not verified) on Thu Dec 18, 2008 07:29 AM PSTrespect the freedom of speech and free all of our thinkers and activist who are detained in your prisons. And respect the freedom of discussion among Iranian inside of Iran.
After three decades and in the 21st century it is a shame that a paranoid government is still active and silences writers, bloggers and students.
ONE OF THESE DAYS WE WILL GET YOU ALL !!!!!
Free Hoder immediately
by farrad02 on Thu Dec 18, 2008 06:51 AM PSTI also hope they let him go immediately!
In defense of free speech
by Aref-Adib on Thu Dec 18, 2008 08:23 AM PSTI also demand his immediate release.
www.aref-adib.com
Anonymous support!
by Princess on Thu Dec 18, 2008 02:44 AM PSTI would like to support this as well, but am neither a blogger, nor would l like to lose my anonymity on this site. So I guess I will just have to support you in spirit in this forum.
Please add my name to this letter
by Darius Kadivar on Thu Dec 18, 2008 02:10 AM PSTWishing his prompt liberation also.
//iranian.com/main/blog/darius-kadivar
Thanks
I support it
by Foaad Khosmood on Thu Dec 18, 2008 01:06 AM PSTI hope they let him go soon.