Last Update
July 15, 2020
Organisation
Unknown
Gender
Male
Ethnic Group
Unknown
Religoius Group
Unknown
Province
Tehran
Occupation
Journalist
Sentence
Unknown
Sentence Date
May 2, 2020
Status
In prison
Institution investigating
Ministry of Intelligence
Career
International Affairs Editor at Daily Ettela’at; worked with the newspapers Tous, Neshat and Asr-e Azadegan.
Charges
Dissemination of False Information
Disturbing public opinion
Propaganda against the regime
Hardliner websites reported that Fathi was charged with "cooperation with BBC Persian Service" and claimed that he was the "official" reporter for the "illegal" BBC network in Iran. BBC denied the accusations and announced that it had no correspondents in Iran. The network said that Fathi was only interviewed as an independent analyst.
Before his arrest, security forces raided his home and seized a satellite dish, his laptop and other personal items.
For the two and a half months he spent in detention, Fathi was pressured and mistreated to confess to cooperating with the BBC. On January 30th 2012, he was released on bail.