Italian journalist and podcaster Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in an Iranian prison, Italy‘s government has confirmed.
The office of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she is on a flight back to Italy, with the country’s leader personally calling Sala’s parents to inform them of the development.
Sala had been held in solitary confinement in Iran‘s Evin prison in Tehran since December 19. No word on what specifically led to her release, but Meloni has released a statement on social media saying it followed “intense work through diplomatic and intelligence channels.”
“I want to express gratitude to all those who contributed to making Cecilia’s return possible, allowing her to embrace her family and colleagues again,” added Meloni.
Her arrest came days after Italy had detailed Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini, who was under suspicion of supplying drone technology that was used in the death of U.S. soldiers. Iran said she had violated “the Islamic Republic’s laws,” but had not specified how, and had denied the two cases are linked.
Sala has emerged as a leading Italian journalist and podcaster for Chora Media and the Il Foglio newspaper, and was in Iran conducting interviews and research for a story. She was able to speak with her parents on the phone last week and revealed the harsh conditions at the Evin prison, where she was forced to sleep on the floor without a mattress. The prison is known for detaining journalists, overseas citizens and prominent filmmakers such as Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Rasoulof and Mostafa Al-Ahmad.
Iran’s authoritarian regime has arrested and imprisoned several more filmmakers over the years, including doc maker Mohgan Ilanlou and Leila’s Brothers filmmakers Saeed Roustayi and Javad Noruzbegi.
