Italy says working to free journalist under arrest in Iran for over a week

Cecilia Sala, 29, who works for Il Foglio and Chora Media, was arrested successful Tehran connected December 19, authorities said.

An Italian writer has been arrested by constabulary successful Iran, according to Italy’s overseas ministry, and the authorities is making efforts to bring her home.

Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested by constabulary successful Tehran connected December 19, officials said, but her apprehension was lone made nationalist connected Friday. She works for paper Il Foglio and for podcast institution Chora Media.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said successful a connection that it was “working with the Iranian authorities to clarify Cecilia Sala’s ineligible concern and to verify the conditions of her detention”.

“The Italian Embassy and Consulate successful Tehran person been pursuing the lawsuit with the utmost attraction since the precise beginning,” the ministry added.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto – a cardinal fig successful Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s authorities – said connected the societal media level X that the apprehension was “unacceptable”.

“Italy is moving tirelessly to escaped her, pursuing each option,” helium said.

There was nary contiguous confirmation of the apprehension by Iranian officials.

#FreeCecilia pic.twitter.com/idnzNW3oAJ

— Chora Media (@Chora_Media) December 27, 2024

Sala was capable to marque 2 telephone calls since she was arrested and held successful the Evin jailhouse successful Tehran, the Italian Foreign Ministry said.

Chora Media said successful a abstracted connection that Sala was being held successful solitary confinement astatine Evin, and that nary crushed had been fixed for her arrest.

“Her escaped dependable has been silenced, and neither Italy nor Europe tin tolerate this arbitrary arrest. Cecilia Sala indispensable beryllium freed immediately,” Chora said.

According to Chora, Sala had near Rome for Iran connected December 12 with a valid writer visa and “the extortion of a writer connected assignment”. Sala had conducted respective interviews and produced 3 episodes of her, Stories, podcast, it added. She had been owed to alert backmost to Rome connected December 20.

It was not wide whether Sala’s lawsuit mightiness beryllium linked to tensions betwixt Rome and Tehran aft Iran past week summoned a elder Italian diplomat and the Swiss ambassador, who represents US interests successful the country, implicit the apprehension of 2 Iranian nationals. One of the men was arrested successful Italy astatine Washington’s request.

Italy’s ambassador to Iran visited Sala successful situation connected Friday and the writer has besides been successful telephone interaction with her family, the Italian Foreign Ministry said.

Italian sources with cognition of the substance said she was “very tired” but “physically fine”, the Reuters quality bureau reported.

Chora said quality of Sala’s apprehension was not instantly made nationalist arsenic her household and Italian authorities had hoped that keeping it quiescent could assistance unafraid her swift release.

Elly Schlein, person of the centre-left absorption Democratic Party, urged the authorities to enactment swiftly.

“We instantly telephone connected the authorities to instrumentality each utile inaugural to shed airy connected this matter, to clarify the reasons for this detention and, supra all, to bring Cecilia Sala backmost to Italy arsenic soon arsenic possible,” she said.

Source

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Al Jazeera and quality agencies