Iran confirms arrest of Italian journalist for "violating law"
- 30 December, 13:07
Iran has confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist for "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic", local media reported on December 30.
Cecilia Sala, 29, who works for Il Foglio was detained on December 19 after travelling to capital Tehran to report on Iranian society.
"Cecilia Sala, an Italian citizen, travelled to Iran on December 13, 2024 with a journalist's visa and was arrested on December 19, 2024 for violating the law of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the official IRNA news agency quoted the Ministry of Culture as saying. The ministry added that Sala’s case was under investigation.
Italian media reported in a statement on Friday that Sala was taken to Tehran’s Evin Prison, known for detaining dissidents, and has been held in solitary confinement for more than a week.
“Sala was arrested in Tehran on Thursday and has been in solitary confinement since. The official reason for her arrest remains unclear,” the statement said.
“We are only releasing this troubling information now because Italian authorities and Cecilia's parents asked us to remain quiet, hoping it would lead to a quick release, but unfortunately, that has not occurred.”
According to media reports citing the US State Department, the arrest of a prominent Italian journalist in Iran is believed to be in retaliation for the recent detention of a Swiss-Iranian businessman and suspected arms dealer in Italy, which occurred three days prior.
