Iranian journalist and blogger Hossein Derakhshan has received a pardon from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and has been released from Jail in Tehran.
Hoseein Derakhshan has reported that because his furlough had not been renewed, he was preparing to return to jail when he was informed that he had been given a pardon.
He has reportedly written in his Google+ page: "I am free. Thank you, God. Appreciations to his holiness Ayatollah Khamenei and thank you to all friends and well wishers in the difficult days."
Derakhshan was jailed six years ago for the charge of "propaganda against the regime and links to aggressive states."
Derakhshan was one of the first Iranian bloggers and is often referred to as the father of Iranian blogging.
Derakhshan was at first very critical of the Islamic Republic regime in his blogs but later changed his stance and became more supportive of the regime and critical of the opposition.
In 2008, he was arrested upon returning to Iran and was sentenced to over 19 years in jail for charges of "propaganda against the regime, cooperating with attacking states, supporting anti-Revolutionaries and setting up vulgar websites."
