An Italian Newspaper: Cecilia Sala, a Prisoner of the Ayatollahs

The Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera" reported on Thursday, January 3, about three phone calls made by Cecilia Sala, a detained journalist from Italy in Iran, to her mother, father, and partner, Daniele Rainieri, in which she requested: "Hurry up." According to the report, Cecilia Sala is, in every sense, a prisoner of the Ayatollahs who have yet to announce a specific charge for her detention. She is being held in solitary confinement and is only told in general terms that she has "violated the laws of the Islamic Republic." The newspaper noted that since her arrest and transfer to Evin Prison in Tehran, she has been sleeping on a blanket and has only one other blanket to protect herself from the biting and painful cold of Evin. This is while "contrary to the claims of Iranian officials that she would be treated with respect and dignity, she has received no packages; neither blankets, chocolates, cigarettes, jackets, nor the four books that were believed to be in her possession, nor even protection from the neon light that is continuously on for 24 hours, nor even basic essential items. Even Cecilia Sala's glasses have been confiscated." Corriere della Sera also reported that Cecilia Sala has not seen anyone since January 7 when she met with the Italian ambassador in Tehran. She does not even see the guards, as they deliver food to her through a slot in her cell. According to the report, Ms. Sala, who has been imprisoned on charges of "violating the laws of the Islamic Republic," is facing the same treatment that political prisoners endure, namely in a prison that is a "symbol of repression" of the Islamic Republic. Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old Italian citizen who collaborates with the newspaper "Il Folio" and "Chura Media," was arrested on December 20 by the intelligence forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to reports, she was transferred to Evin Prison in Tehran after her arrest. Ms. Sala had officially traveled to Iran with a journalist visa and had published reports on recent developments in Iran following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria. Three days before Ms. Sala's arrest, an Iranian citizen named Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi was arrested at Milan Airport, Italy, at the request of the U.S. Attorney's Office on charges of "trafficking drone parts and equipment." Some media outlets, citing statements from a U.S. State Department spokesperson, reported that the arrest of this Italian journalist by the Islamic Republic was in retaliation for the arrest of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a Swiss-Iranian citizen, in Italy. According to Corriere della Sera, Ms. Sala's three phone calls came after a speech on Wednesday by Sergio Mattarella, the President of Italy, part of which was dedicated to her situation, but these phone calls were shocking for her family, as they believed she was in better conditions. The report indicates that Iranian officials claimed that a solitary cell was chosen for Cecilia Sala to feel more secure and comfortable, and that a package including sweets, books, and essential items sent by the Italian embassy had been delivered to her. In this context, Mohammad Reza Sabouri, the Iranian ambassador to Rome, also claimed on Thursday after being summoned to the Italian Foreign Ministry that Ms. Sala was treated according to "Islamic etiquette and humanitarian considerations" and that "all her necessary needs" had been met. Meanwhile, Ms. Sala's detention has faced widespread criticism from international organizations supporting press freedom, which have called for her immediate release. Simultaneously, as reports emerged about Cecilia Sala's conditions in Evin Prison, the Italian Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador in Rome and demanded the release of this detained journalist. Following that, the Iranian Foreign Ministry, in a reciprocal action, summoned the Italian ambassador in Tehran.