As the United States makes overtures to Iran, human rights groups remain concerned by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's tough offensive against writers, academics and journalists who refuse to toe the line. Recent cases include the death of 29-year-old Internet writer Omidreza Mirsayafi in March, whilst being held at the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, and the detention without charge of Iranian-American journalist and writer Roxana Saberi since January. 

On 22 April 2008, Mirsayafi was arrested and his computer was seized. He was later charged with insulting Ayatollahs Khomeini and Khamanei, and for producing propaganda against the regime. Mirsayafi, whose blog mainly focused on Persian culture and music, repeatedly denied the charges and in a letter to