Tehran: Iranian authorities have confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala on charges of “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic”, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Sala, 29, a reporter for Il Foglio and a producer for the podcast company Chora Media, was detained in Tehran on December 19, the Italian foreign ministry revealed. She had traveled to Iran on December 13 with a journalist visa.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani described the case as “complicated” and expressed hope for a swift resolution. “We are working to bring Cecilia Sala home quickly,” Tajani said, declining to comment on whether her detention could be linked to the recent arrest of an Iranian national in Italy at the request of the United States.
The Iranian Culture Ministry, in a statement quoted by IRNA, claimed that Sala had conducted activities that violated Iranian laws. Chora Media confirmed that Sala had traveled to Iran with a valid journalist visa and had been producing episodes for her podcast, Stories. The journalist had completed several interviews and was scheduled to return to Rome on December 20.
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While in detention, Sala has reportedly maintained contact with her family and the Italian embassy in Tehran.
Rights groups have frequently criticized Iran for detaining foreign nationals and dual citizens, accusing the country of using such arrests to gain diplomatic leverage. Iranian authorities, however, deny these allegations, insisting that arrests are based on legitimate security concerns.
