Fred Petrossian

Latest posts by Fred Petrossian

Iran:”Another blogger was arrested”

  6 June 2011

Hrna [fa], Human rights activists news agency, reports [fa] that Ali Pour Soleiman, a blogger and teacher was arrested in Iran a few days ago. He was a member of Association of Teachers and wrote [fa] in Sokhane Molem (means teacher's word) blog.

Iran: A blogger's life in danger

  26 January 2011

Hrana, human rights activists news agency, reports [fa] that Hossein Maleki Ronaghi ‘s life is in danger and he needs urgent medical care in prison. Hossein Maleki Ronaghi has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. Hussein Rongah Melki (also known as “Babak Khoramdin”) was one of the key cyberactivists...

Iran: “A website developer was sentenced to death”

  9 December 2010

Saeed Malekpour,website developer, is facing the death penalty in Iran for allegedly designing “adult” websites. A few Iranian sites wrote Malekpour was the main manager of hard porn Avizoon site and he is not a political prisoner.

Iran:Derakhshan Released On $1.5 Million Bail

  9 December 2010

An informed source told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Hossein Derakhshan was released last night on the unprecedented bail amount of $1.5 million. Derakhshan had requested a prison furlough after a lower court sentenced him to 19.5 years in prison in September.

Iran: We are all Computer Criminals

  23 November 2010

Iran's government has a law at its disposal that make it possible to label almost any Internet user a criminal. The “Law of Computer Crimes” (one law with 56 articles) was approved by Iran's parliament in January 2009. It has been instrumental in the prosecution and repression of several cyber-activists...

Iran: World's Youngest Detained Blogger on Trial

  20 November 2010

The Iranian government is not only world-class when it comes to persecuting bloggers, they have also set numerous records: from the first jailed blogger in history, to the first blogger to die in prison. Unfortunately, a new record can now be added to the list of Iran's repressive achievements: the...

Iran:World’s youngest detained blogger on trial

  18 November 2010

Reporters without Borders (RSF) reports The world’s youngest detained blogger, 18-year-old Navid Mohebbi, is currently being tried behind closed doors before a revolutionary court in the northern city of Amol. His lawyer is not being allowed to attend the trial, which began on 14 November.

Iran: Khazali,blogger and physician was arrested

  15 October 2010

Mehdi Khazali, head of Iran's Medical Data Bank and son of hardliner, Ayatollah Abolghassem Khazali, was arrested on Wednesday by Iranian authorities. According to [fa] Sedaye Zendani, says Khazali wrote posts against Iranian government.[Update: he was released on was released on 200000 dollars bail in November]

Iran: Jailed blogger, Hossein Derakhshan (“Hoder”) may face death penalty

  20 September 2010

A reliable source has told Global Voices that Tehran's prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for jailed Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan (also known as “Hoder”). The presiding judge, named Salavati, has not yet ruled in the case. Derakhshan has been accused of “collaborating with enemy states, creating propaganda against the...

Iran: Prosecutor seeks death penalty for Derakhshan

  20 September 2010

A knowledgeable source told Global Voices that Tehran's prosecutor seeks death penalty for Hossein Derakhshan, jailed blogger. Judge Salavati hasn't ruled yet. Hossein has been accused of “collaborating with enemy states, doing propaganda against Islamic regime, insulting religious sanctities and doing propaganda for anti-revolutionary groups.”

Iran: Jailed blogger Goudarzi receives NPC award

  27 August 2010

The National Press Club has announced the international recipient of the 2010 John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award is Iranian blogger Kouhyar Goudarzi, who is being held in Tehran's Evin Prison–notorious for its torture of detainees.

Iran: Blogger May Face Charge of ‘Waging War Against God’

  25 August 2010

There is a growing concern that Shiva Nazar Ahari, a jailed human rights activist, blogger, and editor of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters website in Iran, may be charged with moharbeh (waging war against God/enmity against God) in an upcoming trial. In Iran, this can carry a death sentence....

Iran: One of Mayor's sites was filtered

  15 August 2010

According to reformist Kalmeh, and several bloggers, Iranian authorities filtered “Khbargozarieh Shar” (means city's news agency). This site belongs to Tehran's Mayor and no information about the reasons for this filtering was released.

Iran: Unifying Filtering

  9 August 2010

Iranian authorities announced [fa] that filtering policy will be unified in country. According to the Islamic Republic's authorities an Iranian company, whose name was not announced, has won the contract to be in charge of filtering in country.

Iran: A blogger among hunger strikers

  8 August 2010

Kouhyar Goodarzi, human rights activist and blogger, is one of 17 Iranian political prisoners who started their hunger strike at the end of July to protest against the poor prison conditions, the behaviour of prison officials, and the ban on visits.