Pressure on Reza Valizadeh for Television Confessions After Sentencing to 10 Years in Prison

Informed sources have told Radio Farda that Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist and former Radio Farda reporter who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, is under pressure from the judiciary to make televised confessions. The Islamic Republic officials use televised confessions from their opponents and critics, who are coerced, to discredit them. According to reports received by Radio Farda, last week, Reza Valizadeh was sent by prison officials to the office of the judiciary's presidency to answer questions on camera regarding his time at Radio Farda. According to these informed sources, Valizadeh encountered a reporter from the Islamic Republic's 20:30 program at this location but refused to cooperate and answer questions. Reports indicate that Valizadeh, who decided to return to Iran after about 15 years following his resignation from Radio Farda, has now been transferred to Ward 8 of Evin Prison. Valizadeh, who resigned from Radio Farda in November 2022 after 10 years of service, returned to Iran on March 7, 2023, to visit his family after a period of residence abroad. Despite the issuance of his sentence, Valizadeh is still in quarantine at Evin Prison. His detention order was issued on September 16 of this year by the first investigative branch of the 33rd District Prosecutor's Office, and he was arrested on October 1. He spent 11 days in detention under the conditions of wearing shackles and a blindfold while being held by the IRGC. Valizadeh was transferred to solitary confinement in Evin Prison on October 11 and was interrogated until October 24 when he was moved to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced this Iranian-American journalist to 10 years of punitive imprisonment. In a ruling issued by the Revolutionary Court, which Radio Farda has seen, this journalist was also sentenced to a two-year ban on residence in Tehran and neighboring provinces, a ban on leaving the country, and a ban on membership in political and social parties and groups. Judge Iman Afshari and Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court issued this sentence for this journalist on charges of 'collaborating with the hostile government of the United States.' The U.S. Department of State has strongly condemned the 10-year prison sentence for Reza Valizadeh. Steven Kappes, President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, described the sentence as 'unjust' and called for the immediate release of this former Radio Farda journalist.