Italian Journalist Detained in Iran During Reporting Assignment

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, 29, has been detained in Iran under circumstances that remain unclear.

Sala, known for her reporting on international conflicts and human rights issues, was arrested on December 19 during a reporting trip in Tehran. News of her detention was revealed by Italian officials on Friday.

Sala had been in Iran since December 12, working on a journalist visa. Her coverage included the social and political changes in the country over the past year, including the rise of defiance against the government’s leadership, women’s resistance to wearing the hijab, and interviews with figures like an imprisoned Iranian comedian.

She was scheduled to return to Italy on December 20 but never arrived at the airport. According to Italian officials, Sala is being held in solitary confinement at Tehran’s Evin prison, a facility notorious for its treatment of political prisoners and dissidents.

Italy’s foreign ministry is actively negotiating for Sala’s release, with the Italian ambassador to Iran, Paola Amadei, visiting her in prison to verify her conditions. Sala has reportedly been allowed to make two phone calls to her family.

Italian media and political figures have called for her immediate release. Chora Media, where Sala produces a daily podcast, emphasized the importance of her independent reporting and condemned the arrest as an attack on press freedom.

Sala’s detention follows a pattern of journalist arrests in Iran, particularly those covering sensitive topics like anti-government protests and political dissent. Human rights groups have criticized Iran for using foreign and dual-national detainees as leverage in international negotiations.

A potential diplomatic link has also been suggested. The day before Sala’s arrest, Italian police detained an Iranian man accused of supplying drone components to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.

The New York Times, New York Post, the Guardian contributed to this report.