Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Iran for 20 days on charges of violating the country’s laws, has been released and returned to Italy. Sala, 29, had been held since December 19 and had told her family she was kept in isolation, with only two blankets and constant light.
Sala’s release was announced by the Italian government on Wednesday morning, citing “intense work on diplomatic and intelligence channels.” Her partner, Daniele Raineri, said the wait was “excruciating” but that Italy had done “exceptional work.”
The details of Sala’s detention were shrouded in secrecy, with Iranian officials saying there was no connection between her arrest and that of another Iranian citizen held on charges related to the United States. Sala’s visit to Iran was her first since 2021, during which she aimed to document the country’s shifting atmosphere.
Sala had been taken into custody three days after a police officer in Milan arrested Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian citizen accused by the US of providing drone components to Iran’s military forces. The Italian government did not provide further details on how they secured Sala’s release.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/08/world/europe/italy-iran-cecilia-sala-journalist-released.html