Reza Valizadeh's Warning from Prison about 'Revenge Project': I Do Not Intend to Commit Suicide

Reza Valizadeh, an Iranian-American journalist imprisoned in Evin, has warned that his life is in danger in a message shared with Voice of America by his lawyer and family. In the message received on Monday, February 4, he stated that he has no intention of committing suicide and urged everyone not to believe the 'repetitive story of suicide in prison' if he dies in custody. Valizadeh mentioned that despite enduring severe physical and psychological torture from the IRGC Intelligence Organization and the Ministry of Intelligence during his months of detention, he has never contemplated suicide, nor does he intend to in the future. He emphasized that his conditions in prison have escalated to a point of tension between him and prison officials and security forces, with indirect threats suggesting a possible 'revenge project' against him. He also highlighted various prison issues, including the lack of adequate sanitary facilities relative to the number of inmates, reduced food rations, poor food quality, and overcrowding, which leads to daily conflicts over sleeping arrangements as the number of prisoners exceeds the available beds, forcing some to sleep on the floor in the hallways. Previously, Valizadeh announced on his social media that he returned to Iran, stating, 'I entered Tehran on March 7, 2023. Before that, I had unfinished negotiations with the IRGC. Ultimately, I returned to my country after 14 years at my own risk and without even a verbal guarantee.' Valizadeh was arrested by the IRGC on September 23, 2023, and sentenced to 10 years in prison and 2 years of exile. He has repeatedly protested against the conditions and the failure to comply with prison regulations regarding the allocation of space and basic rights for each inmate. The cases of dual nationals imprisoned in Iran have always attracted international attention. The U.S. and European countries accuse the Islamic Republic of 'hostage-taking' by detaining dual citizens and foreigners to exchange them for their prisoners in other countries. The United States has repeatedly warned its citizens to avoid travel to 'dangerous countries,' including Iran.