Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Italy expressed that Cecilia Sala, arrested in Iran, is in good health; negotiations are ongoing for her release from Tehran’s Evin Prison.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has stated that Cecilia Sala, an Italian reporter arrested by Iranian police in Tehran, is in “good health” and that talks are ongoing to bring her back. Tajani stated she had spoken to her parents and acquired a visit by Italy’s ambassador to Iran.
“The Iranian Foreign Ministry will give her necessities, as requested by our embassy,”
Tajani expressed.
Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old Italian journalist was detained in Tehran, Iran on December 19, 2024. This was announced publicly on 27th December, thereby raising concern from the government of Italy and media sources. Sala works for an Italian newspaper called Il Foglio, and she’s associated with Chora Media, a podcasting firm. She traveled to Iran on 12 December with a valid journalist visa, where she was supposed to take interviews and report on change in Iranian societal dynamics.
While in Tehran, Sala was said to have been detained in police custody, though reasons for her detention have not been released to the public; she is currently being held in Evin Prison, among other things, has also hosted political prisoners and dissidents.
How many journalists have been currently detained in Iran?
According to reports, at least 100 journalists have been detained in Iran over the past year. Interestingly, most of these journalists are women. Reportedly, more than 30 female journalists were also among the detained journalists because of protests after the killing of Mahsa Amini in September 2022.
Reza Valizadeh, the Iranian-American journalist, was detained upon his return to Iran in September 2024. He received a 10-year sentence for alleged collaboration with media funded by the United States government. His case attracted international condemnation but only from the U.S. State Department.
