Tehran police detains Italian journalist while on assignment

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was detained by Tehran police last Thursday while in Iran for a reporting assignment, the Italian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday.

In a statement, the ministry said the Italian embassy and consulate in Tehran have been closely monitoring the situation. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was also involved in the case.

Efforts are under way, coordinated with Iranian authorities, to clarify Sala’s legal status and ensure her well-being during detention.

On Friday, Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei conducted a consular visit to assess Sala’s conditions and update her family on the findings.

Sala has reportedly been allowed two phone calls with her relatives since her detention.

In agreement with Sala’s parents, the Italian Foreign Ministry has requested the press to maintain discretion to facilitate a swift and favourable resolution.

Sala, a contributor to the newspaper Il Foglio and the voice behind the podcast Stories by Chora Media, has had her work featured in several notable Italian outlets, including Vanity Fair, Wired, and L’Espresso.

Sala recently published a podcast episode with Zeinab Musavi, an Iranian comedian who has criticised the mandatory hijab in her content, according to media reports.

Musavi was incarcerated earlier this year but has since been released.

Chora Media reveals details of detention

In a statement released on Friday, Chora Media disclosed that Sala was taken to Tehran’s Evin Prison, notorious for holding dissidents, and has been in solitary confinement for over a week.

“Sala was arrested in Tehran on Thursday … and has been in jail since, in solitary confinement. The reason for her unjustifiable arrest has yet to be formally stated,” the statement read.

“We are only sharing this distressing news now because Italian authorities and Cecilia’s parents requested we remain silent, hoping this would facilitate a swift release, which unfortunately has not happened yet.”

Sala had departed Rome on 12 December with a valid journalistic visa and official guarantees for foreign correspondents, Chora Media added.

During her stay, she conducted several interviews and produced three episodes for her podcast. 

She was scheduled to return to Rome last Friday but stopped responding to messages on the morning of 19 December.