Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights declares:

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

The growing number of such blogger arrests underscores the political importance of blogging around the world.

WIA concludes:

After surveying our data, we predict that the number of blogger arrests will rise in 2008. The popularity of online blogs continues to grow and inspire more media coverage of arrest incidents. Countries are enforcing greater Internet regulation, which will only increase with the elections in China, Pakistan, Iran and the United States this year.

Trendsspotting blog reports "Blogs are a mainstream media world-wide and a collective rival to traditional media."

So are you surprised if Iran considers a law to murder bloggers? Or if China arrests political blogger and co-founder of China's Netizen Party Guo Quan?