Iranian Blogger Gets 19-Year Prison Sentence

An Iranian news website says a court has sentenced a well-known Canadian-Iranian blogger to more than 19 years in prison.

The conservative website, Mashreghnews.ir, which is close to Iran's presidential office, says Hossein Derakhshan was convicted on charges of cooperation with hostile countries, spreading propaganda against the ruling establishment, promotion of counterrevolutionary groups and insulting Islamic thoughts and religious figures.

The report says Derakhshan can appeal.

Derakhshan, who made trips to Israel and blogged in both English and Farsi, has been in prison since 2008. It's unclear if he would benefit from time served.

Iranian authorities have arrested numerous bloggers in recent years in a bid to clamp down on Internet dissent.