Iranian of the Day

Iranian Bloggers: On June 21, 2012, security forces arrested Abbas Khosravi Faresani, a political blogger in the city of Isfahan, after they discovered his true identity.

Abbas Khosravi Faresani is a Western Philosophy doctorate student at Isfahan University, who earned his graduate degree at Imam Sadegh University. Using the pen name Azad Azadeh, Faresani wrote in a blog by the name of "najvahaye najibaneh," and he authored a book by the same name, criticizing the Islamic Republic of Iran and its leaders.

He also used the pseudonym Azad Azadeh to post links and comments on the popular Iranian website, Balatarin.

After his June 21 arrest, Abbas Khosravi Faresani was transferred to to Isfahan's Central Prison where for 20 days he was exposed to severe physical and psychological torture to confess to charges of "acting against national security through creating public anxiety and publishing lies," "insulting the Supreme Leader and regime high officials," and "membership in enemy organizations, related to Israel (referring to Balatarin website)."

Abbas Khosravi Faresani was released on a heavy bail and now awaits summons to his trial court in Isfahan.