Italy says Italian journalist under arrest for more than a week in Iran

An Italian journalist has been under arrest in Iran for more than a week, Italy’s foreign ministry says, adding it was following the case with the “utmost attention.”

Cecilia Sala, 29, works for the newspaper Il Foglio and the podcast company Chora Media. She was arrested by police in Tehran on Dec. 19, the ministry says in a statement.

Italy’s government “has worked with Iranian authorities to clarify Cecilia Sala’s legal situation and verify the conditions of her detention,” the statement says.

Chora Media said in a separate statement that Sala was being held in solitary confinement in the Evin prison in Tehran and that no reason had been given for her arrest.

There was no immediate confirmation of the arrest by Iranian officials.

???????????????????? Farnesina: "Il ministero degli Affari Esteri rende noto che la giornalista italiana Cecilia Sala, in Iran per svolgere servizi giornalistici, è stata fermata il 19 dicembre scorso dalle autorità di polizia di Teheran. Su disposizione del ministro degli Affari Esteri,… pic.twitter.com/13q44JncXz

— Dario D'Angelo (@dariodangelo91) December 27, 2024

It was not clear whether it might be linked to tensions between Rome and Tehran after Iran last week summoned a senior Italian diplomat and the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests in the country, over the arrest of two Iranian nationals. One of the men was arrested in Italy at Washington’s request.

Chora Media says Sala had left Rome for Iran on Dec. 12 with a valid journalist visa and had conducted several interviews and produced three episodes of her “Stories” podcast. She had been due to fly back to Rome on Dec. 20.

The Italian ambassador to Iran visited Sala in prison today, the ministry and Chora Media say. The journalist has also been in phone contact with her family, they say.