Italian Journalists Detained In Iran Freed

JAKARTA - Italian journalist Cecilia Sala was released from custody in Iran and immediately flew back to her country.

Sala, 25, who worked on a journalist's visa, was detained in Tehran on December 19 in an isolation cell in the notorious Evin prison in the Iranian capital.

Sala was detained three days after an Iranian businessman, Mohammad Abedini, was arrested at Milan Malpensa Airport on a US order for allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington said were used in a 2024 attack that killed three US military members in Jordan.

As reported by Reuters on Wednesday, January 8, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said Sala was released thanks to hard work through diplomatic and intelligence channels.

In recent years, Iranian security forces have arrested dozens of foreigners and dual citizenship, mostly on charges of espionage and security. Human rights groups accuse Iran of trying to get concessions from other countries through the arrests. Iran denies this.