Reza Valizadeh, Iranian-American Citizen, Criticizes Biden Administration's 'Inadequate Actions' for His Release

Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist and former Radio Farda reporter sentenced to 10 years in prison, criticized the U.S. State Department's performance in following up on his situation during the final months of Joe Biden's administration in a message from Evin Prison. He stated that 'the State Department's performance in tracking the detention of American citizen journalists in the final months of the Biden administration has been weak, reflecting passivity and negligence.' The U.S. State Department, in two statements on November 5 and December 17 of this year, deemed Valizadeh's detention and conviction contrary to international law, condemned it, and emphasized the pursuit of his case through the Swiss embassy, the U.S. interests section in Tehran, in an interview with the Associated Press. However, Mr. Valizadeh did not consider the issuance of the State Department's statement regarding the illegality of his detention and 10-year sentence as 'sufficient.' This dual-national journalist stated that after his arrest by the Revolutionary Guards' intelligence and then the Ministry of Intelligence, and the issuance of a ruling by the judiciary, 'no practical and effective action has been taken by the U.S. State Department and the interests section in the Swiss embassy to follow up on his case, and no communication has been established with him as an American citizen.' He criticized the Biden administration for not exerting more pressure on the regime to pursue the status and release of American citizen journalists despite issuing two official statements and deeming his conviction contrary to international law. Iran rarely allows diplomats to meet with foreign or dual-national prisoners in the country. It is unclear under what conditions Mr. Valizadeh sent this message. Following the publication of this news, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department once again condemned the detention and imprisonment of Reza Valizadeh and stated that the United States continues to demand his immediate release. The spokesperson added: 'We continue to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Iran and an end to the regime's suppression of press freedoms through threats, intimidation, detentions, forced confessions, and violence.' The State Department also reiterated its warning to American citizens not to travel to Iran 'due to the risks of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary detentions of American citizens, and wrongful arrests.' Reza 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. His arrest warrant was issued on September 16 of this year by the first investigative branch of the 33rd district of the Revolutionary Court, and he was arrested on October 1. He was held for 11 days under conditions with shackles and a blindfold. 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 the 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 adjacent provinces, a ban on leaving the country, and a ban on membership in political parties and social groups. Judge Iman Afshari and Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court issued this ruling against this journalist on charges of 'collaborating with a hostile government.' The U.S. State Department has strongly condemned the 10-year prison sentence for Reza Valizadeh. Steven Kappes, President and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, called the ruling 'unjust' and demanded the swift release of this former Radio Farda journalist. The Islamic Republic of Iran has repeatedly been accused of using the imprisonment of foreign or dual nationals on various charges, including 'acts against national security' and 'espionage,' to gain leverage from foreign countries or to secure the release of its own affiliates from other countries' prisons.