Italy is making every effort to bring home journalist Cecilia Sala, detained in Iran for over a week, as concerns grow.
Tehran: So, Italy is really hustling to get Cecilia Sala back home. She’s been stuck in Iran for more than a week now, and it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster.
Cecilia, who’s just 29, works for Il Foglio and Chora Media. She was detained on December 19, but we only found out about it recently. The Italian foreign ministry is on it, trying to figure out what’s going on with her legal situation.
Politicians are stepping up too, expressing their worries. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto even took to social media to say they’re doing everything they can to free her. He called the whole situation “unacceptable.”
Before all this, Cecilia had flown to Iran on December 12 with a valid journalist visa. She was busy conducting interviews and working on her podcast. She was supposed to be back in Rome the next day.
Now, she’s in solitary confinement at Evin prison, which isn’t exactly a walk in the park. No one’s really sure why she was arrested, and Iranian officials haven’t confirmed anything yet.
There’s some speculation that her arrest might be tied to rising tensions between Italy and Iran. Just last week, Iran summoned an Italian diplomat over the arrest of two Iranian nationals in Italy.
Italy’s ambassador to Iran managed to visit Cecilia in prison, and she’s been able to chat with her family, which is a relief. Reports say she’s “very tired” but physically okay.
Initially, her family and the authorities kept the news quiet, hoping it would help her get released faster. But now, the pressure is on the government to act quickly.
It’s a tricky situation, especially since Iran has a history of using detainees as bargaining chips. Just look at the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who spent years in Evin prison before being released.
And let’s not forget the ongoing protests in Iran. The prison has been a hotspot for detaining people involved in the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which started after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini.
It’s a tough time for Cecilia and her loved ones, and everyone is hoping for a swift resolution.