The Tehran Provincial Court of Appeals confirmed the sentence issued by the lower court against Reza Valizadeh, sentencing this Iranian-American journalist to 10 years in prison along with supplemental penalties.
Mohammad Hossein Aghasi, Reza Valizadeh’s defense attorney, announced the news of the confirmation of the 10-year imprisonment in a tweet on his account, stating: “I had previously said that the court’s practice is to confirm the lower court’s ruling, but perhaps a retrial could open the blindfold of justice.”
Earlier, the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, had sentenced Reza Valizadeh to 10 years in prison on charges of “collaborating with hostile governments”. Additionally, as part of the supplementary penalties, he was sentenced to “prohibition of residency in Tehran and neighboring provinces, prohibition of leaving the country, and prohibition of membership in political and social parties and groups for two years.”
Reza Valizadeh is an Iranian-American journalist and former reporter for the Persian section of Radio Free Europe (Radio Farda). Radio Farda had previously announced that Mr. Valizadeh ended his collaboration with the media outlet in November 2022 and returned to Iran after a while living abroad, ultimately being arrested by Iranian security forces.
In Reza Valizadeh’s case, multiple violations of this journalist’s rights have been recorded. He was deprived of access to a lawyer for an extended period after his arrest, was prohibited from meeting or contacting his family during the preliminary investigations—which lasted for months—and during this time, he experienced solitary confinement. The prolonged solitary confinement and being forced to conduct a televised interview were examples of psychological torture. The court issued a 10-year prison sentence against him without adhering to fair trial standards, without a jury, and in a non-public manner. During the period of temporary detention and now in Ward 8 of Evin Prison, he has been held under inhumane conditions.