Iran's supreme court has reportedly quashed a death sentence for a Canadian resident.
Saeed Malekpour, a 35-year-old Web programmer, was facing execution on charges of developing and promoting porn websites.
His supporters, including his wife who now lives in Richmond Hill, Ont., said he was arrested in Iran in October, 2008, after a trip to visit his ailing father.
Published reports said the death sentence for him now has been quashed.
His wife, Fatima Eftekhari, told Britain's Guardian newspaper that the court decision is a "sigh of relief" and that she is "very pleased that his life is finally saved."
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Ottawa says it is aware of reports Mr. Malekpour's sentence has been commuted.
"Officials are working to confirm or deny this report," Foreign Affairs said in a e-mail.
"Unfortunately, there is limited scope for direct intervention in this case since the person involved is not a Canadian citizen."
Mr. Malekpour was born in Iran but became a permanent Canadian resident in 2004.
Defence lawyers said the conviction was quashed after they provided the court with expert evidence, said the Guardian newspaper. He is to remain in jail while a judicial review into his case is held.
Mr. Malekpour was convicted of designing and moderating adult materials online, but his family said he was a Web programmer whose photo uploading software was used by a porn website without his knowledge.