The Italian Foreign Ministry Reports that an Italian Journalist is Detained in an Iranian Prison
Reportedly, Cecilia Sala is currently being held in Tehran’s Evin Prison, a well-known facility for housing political detainees. The Italian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that an Italian journalist was arrested in Iran on December 19.
While reporting from Iran, Cecilia Sala, a journalist for the Italian daily Il Foglio, was detained by Tehran police. The newspaper stated that Sala was in Iran with a regular visa “to report on a country she knows and loves.”
Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, has instructed the Italian embassy and consulate in Tehran to closely monitor the situation, as per a statement from the country’s foreign ministry. Tajani confirmed that Sala is in good health following a consular visit and is currently being held in Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Furthermore, the Italian Foreign Ministry, in coordination with the Presidency of the Italian Council, is actively working with Iranian authorities to clarify Cecilia Sala’s legal situation and ensure the conditions of her detention are verified.
Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei conducted a consular visit on Friday to assess Sala’s conditions and detention status, as reported by the Italian foreign ministry. Sala has been allowed two phone calls with her family since her arrest.
The Foreign Ministry of Italy, in agreement with Sala’s parents, urges the press to use discretion to aid in a prompt and positive resolution of the matter.
Her editor, Claudio Cerasa, has called for Sala’s release, emphasizing that “journalism is not a crime” and pleading with authorities to “bring Cecilia Sala home.”
As the circumstances surrounding Sala’s arrest remain unclear, Iranian authorities have not acknowledged detaining her. Italian officials are withholding further details to facilitate diplomatic resolution efforts.
Sala’s arrest comes at a time of increased scrutiny of foreign journalists in Iran, where Western reporters have encountered significant challenges. Since the 1979 U.S. Embassy crisis, Iran has frequently used detainees with Western ties as bargaining chips in negotiations with other countries.
In a prisoner exchange in September 2023, five Americans detained in Iran were released in return for five Iranians in U.S. custody and $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
Notable cases, such as Roxana Saberi in 2009 and Jason Rezaian in 2014, involved false espionage accusations in closed-door trials. Saberi was held for 100 days and Rezaian for over 540 days before his release was secured through a prisoner exchange.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
