Iranian pioneer of reform bloggers jailed for 19 years

An Iranian court has sentenced the founder of one of the first Farsi-language blogs, credited with sparking the boom in Iranian reform bloggers, to more than 19 years in prison.

The Iranian-Canadian Hossein Derakhshan, 35, was a controversial figure among Iran's blogging community. Writing his blog from Canada, he was initially a critic of Iran's clerical leadership and in 2006 visited Israel – Iran's arch enemy – saying he wanted to act as a bridge between the two countries' peoples.

The website Mashreghnews.ir, which is close to Iran's presidential office, reported last night that Mr Derakhshan was convicted on charges of co-operation with hostile countries, spreading propaganda against the ruling establishment, promotion of counter-revolutionary groups and insulting Islamic thought and religious figures.

The court sentenced him to 19-and-a-half years in prison, the report said, adding that Mr Derakhshan can appeal.

Mr Derakhshan helped ignite blogging in Iran by posting simple instructions online on how to create sites in Farsi in 2001.

Flourishing blogs by Iranians at home and abroad then followed, giving the country's reform movement an online platform that has helped it survive heavy crackdowns at home, though the authorities have tried to block many, including Mr Derakhshan's.

Authorities also shut down two pro-reform newspapers - Andisheh-e No daily and Bahar Zanjan - for publishing articles in which they had insulted officials, another newspaper, Shargh, reported yesterday.