Motallebi is an Iranian journalist based in London and founder of ZigZag Magazine.

In 2003 he was arrested because of his writings online and interviews with foreign press. He was detained in solitary confinement for 23 days before making bail, and several months after his release he sought asylum in the Netherlands. He participated in a press conference on his experience and the Iranian government retaliated by arresting his father and holding him for ten days.