Reza Valizadeh Forced to Give TV Interview with Investigator Journalists

According to reports received by VOA, the judiciary of the Islamic Republic has recently forced Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist and former Radio Farda reporter, to conduct a television interview with investigator journalists. A close associate of Mr. Valizadeh told VOA that this forced interview took place on Monday, December 24, at the judiciary building. He added that prior to this, Reza Valizadeh was taken to a barber, and security forces transferred him to the public relations department of the judiciary after cutting his hair and shaving his beard. In a call with his family, Valizadeh mentioned that he was forced to give an interview at the public relations department of the judiciary and warned of the possibility of a truncated version of the interview being released by the investigator journalists, stating that he refrained from saying what they wanted him to say. A close associate of the Iranian-American journalist who was privy to this phone conversation told VOA that Valizadeh emphasized that they might only be able to use two sentences from the entire interview to present their desired narrative. According to him, Mr. Valizadeh has requested that the entire interview be published. Valizadeh noted in his call that the investigator journalists were wearing masks, but it was clear that they had a history of such actions and were known to the public. Reza Valizadeh is imprisoned in Ward 8 of Evin Prison, known for its very poor sanitary conditions, infested with bedbugs and environmental pollution, and the authorities at Evin Prison have not taken any action to address this issue. Reports received by VOA indicate that this Iranian-American journalist is held in Ward 8 of Evin Prison, which is known for its very poor sanitary conditions, infested with bedbugs and environmental pollution, and the authorities at Evin Prison have not taken any action to address this issue. The issue of bedbugs in prison became newsworthy in May when Zia Nabavi, a jailed student activist, wrote in a letter that the 'infestation of bedbugs' in Ward 8 of this prison has caused 'mental and physical distress' to the inmates, stating: 'The basic rights and hygiene of prisoners are being ignored.' According to a ruling issued by Branch 26 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Tehran, Reza Valizadeh has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. According to his lawyer, Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, Mr. Valizadeh has also been sentenced to 'prohibition of residence in Tehran and neighboring provinces, prohibition of leaving the country, membership in parties, etc. for two years.' Aghasi wrote on the social media platform 'X' that his client's crime was working at Radio Farda. Previously, a family acquaintance of Mr. Valizadeh told VOA that he considers his sentence 'harsh and unjust' and believes that 'the issuance of such extreme sentences is a result of the regime's anger at the activities of media outlets outside the country and the inability of security agencies to gain cooperation from journalists who are arrested or caught in security traps.' Reza Valizadeh resigned from Radio Farda about two years ago, in 2021. He later announced on his social media account on 'X' that he returned to Iran on March 7, 2024, stating: 'I entered Tehran on March 7, 2024. Prior to that, I had unfinished negotiations with the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Ultimately, I returned to my country after 14 years at my own responsibility and without even a verbal guarantee.' According to information received by VOA, Mr. Valizadeh was under the surveillance of security agencies and subjected to continuous interrogations from the moment he entered Iran until his arrest. According to close associates of Reza Valizadeh, he was arrested on October 23, 2024, due to his refusal to cooperate with the IRGC Intelligence Protection and the Ministry of Intelligence and his refusal to express remorse for his journalistic activities. Reports indicate that this journalist spoke with his family about the 'very bad conditions of interrogation during his detention at the IRGC,' which he described as 'torture.' He was held for 11 days in the custody of the IRGC before being transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison. The family of this dual-national prisoner has not yet been allowed to visit him. The U.S. State Department condemned the arrest and 10-year prison sentence of Reza Valizadeh, a former Radio Farda journalist, in a statement sent to VOA on December 17, calling for his immediate release. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, in response to Michael Lipin, a VOA reporter, stated: 'We are aware that the Iranian government has repeatedly suppressed press freedom through threats, intimidation, arrests, forced confessions, and the use of violence against journalists in Iran. For this reason, we strongly condemn the prison sentence of Reza Valizadeh and call for his immediate release and that of all political prisoners in Iran.' This spokesperson also reiterated a warning to Iranian citizens residing in the United States, emphasizing: 'Due to the risk of kidnapping and arbitrary arrest, avoid traveling to Iran.' The Iranian government labels many Persian-language media outlets abroad, including VOA and Radio Farda, as 'hostile entities' and considers journalists from these media as security suspects. Mohammad Hossein Aghasi: The judiciary's accusation against Reza Valizadeh, the Iranian-American journalist, is incorrect. Reza Valizadeh is in quarantine in Evin and has not had in-person visits with his family. The United States: American citizens should avoid traveling to dangerous countries, including Iran. The Iranian Foreign Ministry states it is 'aware' of the arrest of Reza Valizadeh. Congratulations to the Iranian exile media for their nomination for the Press Freedom Award. Exclusive: The U.S. is reviewing the case of a dual-national prisoner in Iran.