Italian Journalist and Podcaster Cecilia Sala Arrested and Incarcerated in Iran

variety.com:

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been arrested in Iran and jailed in Tehran’s Evin prison for political prisoners, the Italian government announced on Friday. “Italy is working tirelessly to free her, pursuing every option,” Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto wrote on X, describing Sala’s arrest as “unacceptable.” Sala, who is 29 and works for Rome-based newspaper Il Foglio and Italian podcast company Chora Media, was arrested on Dec.

19, though her arrest was only revealed on Friday, as her family and Italian authorities had kept quiet hoping that could help negotiate her rapid release.

The reason for her arrest has not yet been made public since it has not yet been confirmed by Iranian officials. The young but already prominent Italian journalist had been conducting several interviews in Tehran after arriving there on Dec.

12 with a valid journalist visa. Sala was supposed to board her flight back to Italy on Dec. 20, but was instead arrested a day before her planned return.