Save Canadian on Iran's Death Row, Liberals Urge

Saeed Malekpour was arrested on charges of operating an obscene website when he returned to Iran to visit his dying father.

Federal Liberals are joining last-ditch efforts to save Malekpour and calling on the Harper government to put pressure on Tehran to spare his life. Several Liberal MPs tabled petitions in Parliament Wednesday signed by constituents who believe Malekpour’s execution is imminent. The Department of Foreign has said it can only do so much for him because while he is a permanent resident of Canada, he is still awaiting citizenship and Iran does not recognize dual nationality. Malekpour, 35, works as a website developer and his clients included operators of pornographic websites. He was arrested on obscenity charges soon after returning to Iran to say farewell to his dying father, allegedly tortured to illicit a confession, and sentenced to death by hanging.