First interview with Ahmad Batebi

Ahmad Batebi is an Iranian student who gained notoriety for his appearance on the cover of The Economist magazine holding up a bloodied shirt belonging to a fellow student who had been beaten by the Basij paramilitaries. The photo, which has been called "an icon for Iran's student reform movement," was taken during the Iranian Student Protests in July 1999 in Tehran. Following its publishing, Batebi was arrested, tried in closed-door proceedings, found guilty of "creating unrest," and sentenced to death. This was reduced to 10 years after domestic and international outcry. Less well-known are persistent reports of torture and ill-treatment of Batebi in prison, and his resulting poor physical and mental health.