Sina Motalebi facts for kids

Sina Motalebi (Persian: سينا مطلبی) was born on April 21, 1973. He is an Iranian journalist who now lives in London. He used to be the editor of ZigZag magazine. This magazine was a website that shared stories from journalists and everyday people. These people had learned about journalism through a special training course from the BBC World Service Trust.

Sina's Work as a Journalist

Sina Motalebi started his career in 1991. He first wrote about movies. Later, he began writing articles about politics and culture for different newspapers. These newspapers often supported changes in the government.

In 2004, he joined the Persian section of the BBC World Service. Here, he worked as a multimedia producer. He studied at Tehran University, where he learned about law and political science.

Many newspapers that wanted changes were stopped by the government in Iran. After this, Sina started writing online in his own blog. His blog was called Webgard, also known as Rooznegar.

Challenges for His Writing

Because of his writings in his blog and newspapers, Sina faced some difficulties. He also gave interviews to news groups outside Iran. In April 2003, he was questioned by authorities about his work. He was held for a few weeks before he was allowed to go home.

In December 2003, Sina left Iran and went to the Netherlands. He asked for protection there, which is called seeking asylum. He shared his experiences on his blog and at a press conference.

After Sina left Iran, his father, Saeed Motalebi, was also questioned. He was accused of helping Sina leave the country. However, Sina had left Iran legally. His father was held for ten days before he was released. An Iranian blogger named Pedram Moallemian worked to help his father get released.

Awards and Special Recognition

Sina Motalebi has received awards for his journalism.

• 1997 – He won the First Prize at the National Press Festival in Tehran.
• 2005 – He received the Hellman/Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch. This grant helps writers who face challenges because of their work.