Italy announced on Friday that it is making every effort to facilitate the release of a journalist who has been detained in Iran for over a week, as politicians from various parties expressed their concerns.
Cecilia Sala, 29, a journalist for Il Foglio and a producer at Chora Media, was apprehended in Tehran on December 19, although the news of her arrest was only disclosed today.
The Italian foreign ministry stated that it is in communication with Iranian authorities to ascertain Sala’s legal status and the circumstances surrounding her detention.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, a prominent member of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration, described the arrest as “unacceptable” in a post on X.
“Italy is diligently working to secure her release, exploring all available options,” Crosetto further remarked.
Chora Media indicated that Sala had traveled to Iran from Rome on December 12 with a valid journalist visa, during which she conducted several interviews and produced three episodes of her “Stories” podcast. She was scheduled to return to Rome on December 20.
The organization also reported that Sala is being held in solitary confinement at Tehran’s Evin prison, with no explanation provided for her arrest.
According to Reuters, Iranian officials have not yet confirmed the arrest.
It remains uncertain whether this incident is connected to rising tensions between Rome and Tehran, particularly after Iran summoned a senior Italian diplomat and the Swiss ambassador—who represents U.S. interests in the country—over the detention of two Iranian nationals, one of whom was arrested in Italy at the request of Washington.
Italy’s ambassador to Iran visited Sala in prison on Friday, and the journalist has also been able to communicate with her family via phone, as stated by the Italian foreign ministry.
Sources familiar with the situation reported that she is “very tired” but “physically fine.”
Chora noted that the news of Sala’s arrest was not made public immediately, as her family and Italian authorities hoped that maintaining silence could aid in her prompt release. Elly Schlein, the leader of the centre-left opposition Democratic Party, called on the government to take action.
The government is urged to promptly undertake all necessary actions to illuminate this issue, clarify the rationale behind this detention, and, most importantly, facilitate the swift return of Cecilia Sala to Italy, she stated.
