Rome, Italy - The Italian government has strongly condemned the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran, who is reportedly being held in solitary confinement at Evin Prison.

Sala, a journalist for the Italian podcast publisher Chora Media and the newspaper Il Foglio, was detained by Iranian authorities on December 19th while reporting on the country. She had traveled to Iran on December 12th on a journalism visa and was scheduled to return on December 20th.

However, Sala failed to return as planned and later contacted her mother to inform her of her arrest. Chora Media stated that the reason for her arrest has not been officially disclosed, but she is believed to be held in Evin Prison, a notorious facility known for housing political dissidents.

Government Condemnation and Diplomatic Efforts

The Italian Foreign Ministry has expressed deep concern over Sala's arrest and has been actively engaged with Iranian authorities to secure her release and ensure her well-being. Italian Ambassador to Iran, Paola Amadei, visited Sala in prison on Friday.

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto denounced the arrest as "unacceptable" and confirmed that the Italian government is employing "high-level political and diplomatic action" to bring Sala back to Italy.

Journalism is Not a Crime

Il Foglio, where Sala also contributed, emphasized that journalism is not a crime, even in countries that suppress press freedoms. They called for her immediate release.

Chora Media, initially hesitant to publicize the case, has now called for Sala's swift return, stating that they delayed public appeals in hopes of a quicker resolution.

Sala's Work and Background

Sala is a young journalist who had previously reported on changes in Iran following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.