Reza Valizadeh is a U.S.-Iranian dual citizen and former journalist for RFE/RL’s Persian-language service, Radio Farda, where he worked from 2012 to 2022. He has been imprisoned in Iran since September 22, 2024. The U.S. State Department has designated Valizadeh as wrongfully detained and considers Iran a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.”
After living abroad for many years, Valizadeh traveled to Iran in March 2024 and was arrested several months later.
In December 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “collaborating with a hostile government.” His appeal was denied in January 2025.
Valizadeh is currently held in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison. The prison is located in a neighborhood that has come under heavy bombardment, placing the detainees inside at increased risk. Deteriorating prison conditions have negatively impacted Valizadeh’s health. According to his lawyer, he suffers from worsening asthma, has frequent coughing fits, difficulty breathing, severe back pain and dental problems.
In a voice recording aired by CBS News in June 2026, Valizadeh pleaded with the U.S. government to secure his release. Highlighting the brutal conditions inside Evin Prison, Valizadeh spoke of “physical pressure and mental torture” and said he and other Americans detained were not receiving proper medical treatment for their illnesses.