I don't think there's much that letter writing is going to solve. It seems he's an Iranian citizen from Iran that is subject to Iran's criminal justice system. Yeah, Iran has a poor human rights record, but writing an email is not going to fix that problem.
I could be mistaking the tone of your post, but it seems rather defeatist. Sure email, might not do a lot, but acceptance of the situation usually doesn't engender the fast-track to change.
On the other hand, taking an easy but useless action doesn't engender the fast-track to change, either-- it only gives a sense of complacency and self-satisfaction.
Are you certain? Psych studies have shown people behave differently if they know they are being watched. I thought Amnesty International got most of their results by letter writing, shaming, and raising awareness.
