Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic,” local media reported.
Italian national Cecilia Sala traveled to Iran on 13 December with a journalist visa and was detained on 19 December (…) for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic.
The 29-year-old Sala, who worked for Il Foglio newspaper and podcast company Chora Media, was detained in Tehran on 19 December, according to the Italian foreign ministry. However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani declined to reveal whether the case could be linked to the arrest of an Iranian in Italy this month.
Chora Media said Sala left Rome for Iran on 12 December with a valid journalist visa, conducted several interviews and released three episodes of her Stories podcast. She was scheduled to fly back to Rome on 20 December.
However, the Italian embassy in Tehran was notified of her detention, according to the statement. Iran’s security forces arrested dozens of foreigners and dual nationals in recent years on charges mostly related to espionage and security.
