Iran Confirms Arrest Of Italian Journalist Cecilia Sala

Italian Journalist Cecilia Sala who was detained by Iranian authorities/PHOTO via Instagram @ceciliasala

JAKARTA - Iran confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala for violating the laws of the Islamic Republic.

Sala, 29, who works for the Il Foglio newspaper and podcast company Chora Media, was detained in Tehran on December 19, according to Italy's foreign ministry.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Saturday declined to say whether the case may be linked to the arrest of an Iranian citizen in Italy this month at the request of the United States.

The detention of Italian journalists in Iran is called a "complex" case, but Roma hopes to bring Sala home as soon as possible.

Italian citizen Cecilia Sala traveled to Iran on December 13 on a journalist's visa and was detained on December 19 for violating Islamic Republic law, said a statement by the Iranian Ministry of Culture, according to IRNA.

Chora Media said Sala left Roma for Iran on December 12 on a valid journalist visa and had conducted several interviews and produced three episodes of her podcast "Stories".

He should have flown back to Rome on December 20.

Sala has been in contact by telephone with her family and the Italian embassy in Tehran.

In recent years, Iranian security forces have arrested dozens of foreigners and dual nationals, 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 accepting prisoners for diplomatic influence.