Via InstaPundit.com
Hamid Tehrani at Global Voices Online brings the tragic news that a jailed Iranian blogger, Omid Reza Misayafi, has died. It seems that he may have committed suicide. Apart from the personal tragedy his family must now grapple with, his death is another step backwards for the universal right of free speech. Misayafi's death will have a chilling effect on Iranian voices online, who provide an essential outlet for the cause of reform and moderation.
I wish I had something more profound to say, but all I can do is offer a dua (prayer) for those Iranian bloggers that remain in Iranian prisons - notably Hoder Derakshan, arrested last November, who is by many accounts the father of the Iranian blogsphere. |