Italy Calls for Immediate Release of Cecilia Sala, Detained Journalist in Iran

On Saturday, January 8, Italy urged the authorities of the Islamic Republic to release Cecilia Sala, the detained Italian journalist held in Evin Prison, as soon as possible. Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, emphasized that the Italian government will make every effort to bring Sala home 'as quickly as possible,' adding, 'This case is complex, but we will use all possible dialogue avenues for Sala's release.' Antonio Tajani, Italy's Foreign Minister, also referred to Rome's efforts to secure Sala's freedom, stating, 'We are trying to resolve this complex issue while ensuring that Cecilia Sala is kept in the best possible conditions.' Kora, the publishing company of Cecilia Sala, issued a statement regarding her transfer to Evin Prison and the unclear reasons for her detention, stressing, 'Journalism is not a crime, even in countries that suppress individual and press freedoms. Bring her home.' Cecilia Sala, 29, a journalist for 'Il Folio' and host of 'Stories,' had published several segments from Tehran before her arrest, one of which was titled 'A Conversation About Patriarchy in Tehran.' She was detained by security agencies in Tehran on December 19, just a day before her departure from Iran. In a video released three days prior to her arrest, Sala spoke about women who violate the Islamic Republic's strict dress code without adhering to mandatory hijab. It remains unclear whether this video or her segments are related to her detention. Sala had previously traveled to Iran multiple times and had obtained a work visa for her recent stay. Foreign journalists in Iran are required to transmit their news and images according to the considerations of the Islamic Republic's security agencies and the restrictive guidelines of the Ministry of Culture to their media outlets, and they must remain in contact and coordination with security agencies throughout their activities in Iran. Sala's Instagram page, which has over 407,000 followers, indicates that she has traveled to Iran in previous years and shared photos and videos of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests and some of the injured from those events. Many political experts and human rights activists argue that the Islamic Republic detains foreign citizens, especially dual nationals, using baseless accusations and employs them as political bargaining chips, effectively taking these citizens hostage. In this context, Shirin Ebadi, head of the Human Rights Defenders Center and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, emphasized on Saturday regarding Cecilia Sala's detention: 'If there is no fundamental change in the approach of Western countries towards the Islamic Republic, Ms. Sala will not be the last hostage.'