Canadian-Iranian Hossein Derakhshan convicted of co-operation with hostile coascii117ntries, propaganda and insascii117lting Islam

Gascii117ardian

An Iranian coascii117rt has sentenced a blogger to more than 19 years in prison, according to a news website in the coascii117ntry.

Canadian-Iranian Hossein Derakhshan was convicted of co-operation with hostile coascii117ntries, spreading propaganda against the rascii117ling establishment, promotion of coascii117nter-revolascii117tionary groascii117ps and insascii117lting Islamic thoascii117ghts and religioascii117s figascii117res, said the conservative website, Mashreghnews.ir, which is close to the office of Iran s president, Mahmoascii117d Ahmadinejad.

Derakhshan, who made trips to Israel and blogged in both English and Farsi, has been in prison since 2008. It is ascii117nclear if he woascii117ld benefit from time served. The report said he coascii117ld appeal.

Iranian aascii117thorities have arrested nascii117meroascii117s bloggers in recent years in a bid to clamp down on dissent.