Hossein Derakhshan, Canada/Iran
IRAN: Canadian-Iranian blogger detained

The Iranian-Canadian journalist and weblogger Hossein Derakhshan, has been held by the Iranian authorities since November 1, 2008. The reasons for his detention are unclear - he is not thought to have been formally charged - but initial reports suggested that he may have been detained for 'insulting religion' or 'spying for Israel'.

As a pioneering weblogger, nicknamed 'the Blogfather', the thirty-four year-old Derakhshan is best known for his online diaries which are published in both English and Farsi. These have been critical of the Iranian authorities though more recently have been sympathetic to President Ahmadinejad. In November 2007, Derakhshan told the Ottawa Citizen that he was worried about the demonization of Iran in the West and had "ceased all criticism of his homeland in English".

Derakhshan was previously detained in 2005, when he returned to cover the presidential elections. According to the London Times, "They told him that his blog was addressing too many taboo subjects and chided him for helping Iranians to skirt Internet censorship. He was allowed to leave after being forced to sign an apology." Derakhshan is currently being held incommunicado at an unknown location, and there are mounting concerns for his well-being.

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