His lawyer, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah, said prison officials told him his client committed suicide. The Committe to Protect Jounalist (CPJ) joined Dakhah in requesting an immediate inquiry; Iranian officials have not yet commented.
At least five Iranian journalists are incarcerated, according to CPJ, as well as Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi and Iranian-Canadian blogger Hossein Derakhshan. In 2003 Iranian-Canadian photojournalist died after three weeks in Evin prison, which is notorious for its numerous political and journalistic inmates.
The Twittersphere responded with emotions from gratitude to outrage to worry.
@harisn (Lahore, Pakistan): RT @guppu: Bloggers in free countries be happy you have freedom of speech, "Iran blogger dies in Evin prison" http://bit.ly/6PBs so sad
@LMDeaton (Cincinnati, OH): A reminder we shouldn't take for granted our right to free speech. RT @KarenRussell: Blogger jailed in Iran is dead http://snurl.com/e7lqa
@writepudding (Los Angeles, CA): Glad my parents packed up & moved out of Iran before I could talk. Can't imagine being a journalist in a country where bloggers are jailed.
@ourworldoursay (Brighton, UK): Hold Iran Responsible for Death of Blogger Mirsayafi in Prison - http://tinyurl.com/clobwm
@KathrinOutLoud (Philadelphia, PA): RT @RachelSterne: Jailed Blogger in Iran DEAD. Not Hossein 'Hoder' Derakhshan, but at first I was terrified. Where is he? http://bit.ly/2O7r
Meanwhile, Roxana Saberi's family and her home state of North Dakota pushed for her release.
@frontlineblog (Paddington, London, UK): Parents of Roxana Saberi, journalist arrested in Iran, write open letter to Iranian leaders - http://bit.ly/n6NB
@Journalism_info: ND House appeals for release of Fargo journalist imprisoned in Iran - Minneapolis Star Tribune: ND House appeals.. http://tinyurl.com/dn62b3
