**In a troubling incident that highlights the challenges faced by journalists in Iran, Cecilia Sala has been detained for over a week, prompting her employer and the Italian government to advocate for her rights.**
**Italian Journalist Detained in Iran: Calls for Release Intensify**
**Italian Journalist Detained in Iran: Calls for Release Intensify**
**Cecilia Sala, an Italian reporter, remains imprisoned in Tehran sparking international concern and calls for her release.**
An Italian journalist has been under arrest in Iran for over a week, drawing significant concern from Italian officials. Cecilia Sala, who contributes to Il Foglio newspaper and Chora Media, was detained by Tehran police on December 19, as announced by Italy's foreign ministry. As of now, there has been no official confirmation from Iranian authorities regarding her arrest.
Chora Media has reported that Sala is currently being held in solitary confinement in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, with no explanation for her detention. The Italian foreign ministry is closely monitoring her case, emphasizing that Rome's ambassador to Tehran, Paola Amadei, visited Sala to assess her conditions. During this visit, she was granted permission to make two phone calls to her family.
Sala traveled to Iran on December 12 with a valid journalist visa and had completed several interviews for episodes of her "Stories" podcast before her arrest. She was scheduled to return to Rome on December 20 but her communication ceased after exchanging messages on December 19. Her employer, Il Foglio, has publicly called for her release, defending her journalistic integrity and stating, "journalism is not a crime."
As the situation develops, Italy appears to be engaging with Iranian authorities to clarify Sala's legal status. Notably, this incident has unfolded in the context of Iran's recent summoning of the Swiss ambassador and an Italian diplomat over the arrest of Iranian nationals, complicating already tense diplomatic relations.
