Italy Summons Iranian Ambassador in Protest Against Arrest of Italian Journalist

On Thursday, January 3, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest the detention of an Italian journalist in Tehran and demanded her immediate release. Tajani emphasized that the Italian government has been making relentless efforts for the release of Cecilia Sala since her arrest and will continue to support her and her family. Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old journalist for 'Il Folio', was arrested on December 19 and has since been held in solitary confinement. She traveled to Iran on a valid journalist visa but was detained according to Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance for 'violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran'. Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, raised the issue of Sala's detention during a meeting with Mohammad Reza Sabouri, the Iranian ambassador in Rome, and called for her immediate release. Sala, who previously reported on the Ukraine-Russia war, last posted on December 17 on social media, linking to a discussion about 'patriarchy in Tehran'. An Italian newspaper reported that Sala has spent the last two weeks in 'very harsh conditions' in solitary confinement. The newspaper 'Il Post' reported on January 3 that Sala has only two blankets in her solitary cell, which she uses as a mat and a cover. On January 3, coinciding with the first day of the new year, she was able to speak with her family by phone, and the recent report from the Italian newspaper was based on this phone call. The report noted the family's concerns, stating that Sala reiterated the need for urgency in her release. According to 'Il Post', Sala has not yet received a package delivered to the prison by the Italian embassy in Tehran earlier in the week, which included cigarettes, books, hygiene products, and an eye mask. It has been previously reported that the light in Sala's cell is always on, and she needs the eye mask to sleep. 'Il Post' also stated that Cecilia Sala has spent the last two weeks in solitary confinement and complete isolation, having had no contact with anyone except for a 30-minute meeting with the Italian ambassador in Tehran. The Islamic Republic of Iran confirmed on January 1 that this Italian reporter, who traveled to Tehran on a journalist visa, has been detained for 12 days. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated on January 1 that the reason for the journalist's detention was 'violating the laws of the Islamic Republic', but did not provide further details. Following the news of Sala's arrest on January 1 by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other officials in Italy called for her immediate release. However, Antonio Tajani stated that he could not assess when this citizen would return to the country because negotiations on this matter are 'very sensitive' and difficult. According to speculation from some media in Italy, Cecilia Sala's arrest was an immediate reaction by the Islamic Republic of Iran to the arrest of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi in Italy on charges of circumventing U.S. sanctions. Italian border police arrested Abedini, who holds dual Iranian and Swiss citizenship, on December 17 after he arrived at Milan airport from Istanbul, Turkey. The U.S. considers Abedini one of the suppliers of drone parts for the Revolutionary Guard and has issued an international arrest warrant for him. 'Il Post' reported, citing 'sources' in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that Cecilia Sala's difficult conditions in prison are a 'message' to the Italian government. The Giorgia Meloni government reiterated its call for the immediate release of this journalist on Wednesday.