An Iranian resident of Canada will not be put to death for creating software that was apparently used by people to transmit porn images. And yes, Iran was serious about executing Saeed Malekpour, 35, who was arrested three years ago in Iran when he went to visit his father.

Despite Malekpour's supporters' insistence that the man had no idea his software was being used that way, he was convicted of designing and moderating porn sites, acting against the national security, insulting and desecrating the principles of Islam, and agitating the public mind. The sentence that came down from the judge was death.

In an appeal, the defense provided the Supreme Court with “expert evidence,” and the conviction has been thrown out. Malekpour is still in jail pending judicial review, however.

Fatima Eftekhari, Malekpour's wife, told the Guardian, “This a sigh of relief for me, I'm very pleased that his life is finally saved. It's unbelievable that someone in this world has spent three years of his life in jail for merely designing software and was until now facing execution for that.”

We're pleased, too. Talk about overkill ... and we imagine the case makes a lot of expatriate Iranians very nervous at the idea of visiting the country of their birth.