Iranian-Canadian blogger missing for two months

A really interesting blog I found : Editor: Myself. Apparently, its author has been missing for several months now in Iran. From mydd:

Blogger Hossein Derakhshan missing in Iran

by Jerome Armstrong, Thu Dec 11, 2008 at 02:46:37 PM EST

Hossein Derakhshan is an Iranian-Canadian blogger that's widely considered the most well-known Iranian blogger. He's lived abroad, blogging in Canada, but recently went back to Iran on a visit. At some point shortly after his arrival in Iran, it is now being blogged, that he was arrested and jailed. The last post on his blog is from over two months ago. He's apparently been in jail for weeks, but the story just broke on a persian blog, which many have taken as a confirmation, and brought onto english on this blog:

My understanding is that Hossein's family has been under pressure from the authorities not to talk about Hossein's arrest and not to get a lawyer for him. So, it is understandable that they are not talking to the media. But we at least can assure both the Persian and global blogosphere, who were previously in doubts about Hossein's arrest, that he's really arrested.

Hossein has gone through various changes in his politics and he has rubbed many activists the wrong way, including myself. (I personally don't approve his politics and we have had couple of fierce arguments and fights in the past few months.) However, we should not have double standards when we deal with human rights. Any human being should be entitled to freedom of expression and should have access to an attorney while in jail. I hope human rights advocates start campaigning for Hossein Derakhshan.

Update: I personally talked to his sister, too. She is very worried about Hossein. We should be careful with the way we spread the news not to have a negative effect. Absolutely no neocon propaganda shit.

Hossein has been at the forefront of the huge Iranian-Persian blogosphere, advocating for the use of the internet as a means for social and political reform in Iran, but he's also made a lot of enemies on both sides, for his non-conformist viewpoints. The Globe & Mail has a fascinating read on the blogger that gives a much-needed background; and The Ottawa Citizen, from last year.