Hossein Derakhshan is the pioneer of blogging in Iran. His blog, Editor: Myself was begun in Toronto, after he moved from Iran to Canada. He started to get involved with journalism by writing about the internet in Asr-e Azadegan, then moved to Hatay-e No when that newspaper was closed down. His column, Panjere-i roo be hayaat (A Window to the Yard) was later expanded to a weekly page on technology and the internet. 

Hossein Derakhshan returned to Iran in October 2008, and was arrested on 2 November 2008 on grounds of "insulting religious figures". 

Recent articles

The public recantation of his views by the Iranian philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo reflects both a genuine change of mind and significant internal changes in the Tehran regime, says Hossein Derakhshan.

As the first international Wikimania conference is held this week in Frankfurt, pioneer Iranian blogger Hossein Derakhshan – who will blog for openDemocracy from the event – tests the “wiki’s” democratic potential in a bold new experiment.

The election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reflects a fractured society, finds blogger Hossein Derakhshan on his return to Tehran; but also one where reformists have a future if they can speak to Iran’s rising generation.

Iranian bloggers are uniting to post laser-sharp ideas on their country’s momentous presidential election in June. Solana Larsen & Hossein Derakhshan (“Hoder”) introduce openDemocracy’s new Iran project.

Iran’s censors have a new enemy: the internet. But users of new media in the country are inventing ways to speak truth to power.