Paris, June 9, 2025—Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh, who is serving a 10-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison, launched a hunger strike on June 7 to protest the seizure of his essential documents, including his birth certificate, which he needs to manage his legal affairs and protect his assets abroad.
Valizadeh, a former Radio Farda reporter, returned to Iran on March 6, 2024, after 14 years in exile. He was immediately detained by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence, and later sentenced in two expedited court sessions for “collaboration with a hostile government,” without specifying which government in the charges or conviction. His appeal was denied.
“The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Iranian authorities’ confiscation of Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh’s identity documents, which is part of a broader pattern of using asset confiscation to punish and silence dissenting voices,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “Targeting imprisoned journalists in this way is meant to further isolate them and intimidate others. Iranian authorities must return Valizadeh’s documents without delay and end the use of asset confiscation as a tool of repression against independent journalism.”
The authorities have also moved to seize assets belonging to Valizadeh and his family, according to London-based news outlet Iran International. Without access to his identification documents, Valizadeh is no longer able to manage his property-related affairs for local and foreign assets. Iran International noted a growing pattern of such punitive measures targeting imprisoned dual nationals.
This is Valizadeh’s second hunger strike; he previously protested in March 2024 over what he called his “sham trial,” ending it after six days due to concern for his mother, who went on the strike with him.
In a separate case, Tehran prosecutors opened proceedings against financial journalist Marziye Mahmoodi over a tweet about a national cooking oil shortage. She was accused of “spreading falsehoods,” according to her social media post. The press freedom group Defending Free Flow of Information in Iran said the case reflects growing pressure on journalists who cover economic issues.
CPJ emailed the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York for comment on Valizadeh but did not receive a response.
This content originally appeared on Committee to Protect Journalists and was authored by Committee to Protect Journalists.
Committee to Protect Journalists | Radio Free (2025-06-09T18:55:38+00:00) Iranian-American journalist Reza Valizadeh on hunger strike in Evin Prison . Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2025/06/09/iranian-american-journalist-reza-valizadeh-on-hunger-strike-in-evin-prison/
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