{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-blackburn-lead-bipartisan-group-of-senators-in-calling-for-release-of-wrongfully-detained-american-journalist-in-iran-urge-state-department-to-step-up-efforts", "Schatz, Blackburn Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Calling for Release of Wrongfully Detained American Journalist in Iran, Urge State Department to Step Up Efforts", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "HI", "Brian Schatz", "S001194", "www.schatz.senate.gov", "schatz", "https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai\u2018i) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) today urged the U.S. Department of State to prioritize and step up efforts to bring wrongfully detained American journalist Reza Valizadeh home. Valizadeh, a U.S. citizen and former broadcast journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty\u2019s Persian language service Radio Farda, was arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in September 2024 and was charged and sentenced, without legal due process, for \u201ccollaborating\u201d with the United States. The vague charge, often used by the Iranian regime to target those who are critical of the government, stems from Valizadeh\u2019s work reporting on the Iranian regime\u2019s corruption and repression.\n\nIn their letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senators wrote, \u201cAs partners in the effort to secure Mr. Valizadeh\u2019s release, we ask that his freedom and welfare be an urgent priority through all available diplomatic channels with Iranian officials.\u201d\n\nThe senators continued, \u201cMr. Valizadeh is currently being held in Evin Prison, which is notorious for its inhumane conditions and arbitrary executions of political prisoners. His health has significantly deteriorated in custody, where he has consistently been denied medical care, including the inhaler he needs to treat his asthma. With every day of continued detention, Mr. Valizadeh\u2019s life is in danger. We are extremely concerned that Iranian authorities could take sudden, arbitrary actions to endanger his life.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Schatz and Blackburn, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.).\n\nThe full text of the letter can be found below and is available here.\n\nDear Secretary Rubio,\n\nWe write to draw your urgent attention to the case of Reza Valizadeh, a U.S. citizen who has been wrongfully detained in Iran since September 2024. Mr. Valizadeh is a former broadcast journalist for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty\u2019s Persian language service Radio Farda, which is funded by Congress. In May 2025, you formally recognized Mr. Valizadeh as \u201cwrongfully detained.\u201d\n\nMr. Valizadeh is serving an unjust ten-year sentence for \u201ccollaborating\u201d with the United States. These charges stem from his U.S. citizenship and work for Radio Farda, where he reported from 2012 to 2022 on the Iranian regime\u2019s corruption and repression. You designated Iran as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention, pursuant to the authority in Executive Order 14348. Mr. Valizadeh\u2019s case is part of Tehran\u2019s long history of targeting journalists and dual nationals.\n\nMr. Valizadeh is currently being held in Evin Prison, which is notorious for its inhumane conditions and arbitrary executions of political prisoners. His health has significantly deteriorated in custody, where he has consistently been denied medical care, including the inhaler he needs to treat his asthma. With every day of continued detention, Mr. Valizadeh\u2019s life is in danger. We are extremely concerned that Iranian authorities could take sudden, arbitrary actions to endanger his life. As you know, Iran is not afraid to use American citizens as political pawns.\n\nAs partners in the effort to secure Mr. Valizadeh\u2019s release, we ask that his freedom and welfare be an urgent priority through all available diplomatic channels with Iranian officials. We look forward to working with you to bring him home.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-blackburn-lead-bipartisan-group-of-senators-in-calling-for-release-of-wrongfully-detained-american-journalist-in-iran-urge-state-department-to-step-up-efforts"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4482999686151743, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}