Iranian authorities detained Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for allegedly breaking Islamic Republic laws when she was there. A day before she was scheduled to return to Italy, Sala, a 29-year-old podcaster who covers world events, was arrested on December 19th. According to reports, Cecilia Sala was detained in Tehran’s Evin jail in solitary confinement.
While denying any connection to the recent capture of Mohammad Abedini in Milan, Iranian authorities confirmed her detention. Abedini, arrested on December 16th, faces charges of supplying drone parts to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), resulting in three US soldier’s deaths.
United States officials suspect Salas’s arrest is politically motivated, intending to use her detention as leverage. Italy and Iran have denied direct connections to Sala and Abedini’s cases, yet tensions remain.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned an Italian diplomat on December 21st. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani denounced Sala’s detentions as unacceptable while admitting that the negotiation for release remains delicate.
Tajani assured Italy’s government is exploring every political and diplomatic avenue to secure her freedom. Sala’s employer, Chora Media, initially kept her detention quiet to avoid complicating negotiations but disclosed the arrest on December 27th.
Meanwhile, Sala maintains contact with her family and receives a care package, which includes chocolate and an eye mask, aimed at improving her prison conditions. Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto emphasized that resolving Sala’s case requires high-level diplomatic efforts rather than public campaigns.
Sala’s arrest drew widespread attention as her last podcast episode aired before her detention. It highlighted Iran’s ongoing suppression of dissent, focusing on comedian Zeynab Mousavi’s solitary confinement.
