The Italian Foreign Ministry reports that the Italian journalist was arrested last Thursday in the Iranian capital while filming a report.
Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was arrested last Thursday by Tehran police while she was in Iran on a reporting mission, the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday.
In a statement, the ministry said the Italian embassy and consulate in Tehran were closely monitoring the situation. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was also involved in this affair.
Efforts are underway, in coordination with Iranian authorities, to clarify Sala’s legal status and ensure his well-being during his detention.
On Friday, Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei made a consular visit to assess Sala’s health and inform his family of the findings.
Sala has reportedly been allowed to make two phone calls with her relatives since her arrest.
In agreement with Sala’s parents, the Italian Foreign Ministry asked the press to remain discreet in order to facilitate a quick and favorable resolution.
Sala, a contributor to Il Foglio newspaper and voice behind the Stories by Chora Media podcast, has had her work featured in several notable Italian media outlets, including Vanity Fair, Wired and L’Espresso.
Sala recently released a podcast episode with Zeinab Musavi, an Iranian comedian who criticized the mandatory hijab in its content, according to media reports.
Musavi was imprisoned earlier this year but has since been released.
Chora Media reveals details of his detention
In a statement released Friday, Chora Media revealed that Sala was taken to Tehran’s Evin prison, known for detaining dissidents, and had been in solitary confinement for more than a week.
“Sala was arrested Thursday in Tehran (…) and has since been in prison, in solitary confinement. The reason for his unjustifiable arrest has not yet been formally stated,” the statement said.
“We are sharing this sad news now only because the Italian authorities and Cecilia’s parents have asked us to remain silent, hoping that this would facilitate a speedy release, which unfortunately has not yet happened. »
Sala had left Rome on December 12 with a valid journalistic visa and official guarantees for foreign correspondents, Chora Media added.
During her stay, she conducted several interviews and produced three episodes for her podcast.
She was due to return to Rome last Friday, but stopped responding to messages on the morning of December 19.
