Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni is committed to freeing Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist detained in Iran, as concerns grow over her safety.
Tehran: So, here’s the scoop. Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, is on a mission to get Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist, out of an Iranian prison. Cecilia’s been stuck in solitary confinement at Evin Prison for over a week now, and it’s pretty concerning.
She was arrested on December 19 while staying at a hotel in Tehran, just after she recorded a podcast about a female Iranian comedian who’s also in jail. Meloni is keeping a close eye on the situation and is trying every possible way to bring Cecilia back home.
In her statement, Meloni mentioned that they’re working with Cecilia’s parents and are being careful about how they approach this. It’s a tricky situation, especially since Cecilia was supposed to fly back to Italy the day after her arrest.
What’s even more alarming is that she hasn’t been charged with anything yet. There’s chatter that her detention might be a response to Italy arresting an Iranian national wanted by the U.S. Just a few days before Cecilia’s arrest, a Swiss-Iranian guy linked to the Tehran regime was nabbed at Milan airport.
Italy’s foreign affairs minister confirmed that this guy is facing extradition to the U.S. on terrorism charges. He’s currently in Milan’s Opera prison, and his lawyer says he doesn’t even get why he was arrested.
Cecilia had traveled to Iran with a valid visa and had been busy interviewing people and working on her podcast. Her editor defended her right to report on Iran, highlighting how tough it is for journalists there. He pointed out that the Iranian regime is using her arrest to show its power.
Italy’s foreign ministry is on it too. They sent their ambassador to visit Cecilia in prison, and she’s been allowed to call her family a couple of times. The defense minister called her arrest “unacceptable” and assured that they’re working at the highest levels to secure her release.
Evin Prison has a notorious reputation, having held many people involved in protests against the regime. It’s a tough place, and the situation is pretty dire for anyone caught up in it.
