Italy says journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested by Iran, has been released

The Italian government said in a statement that Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was arrested last month in Iran while on a reporting trip, was released and is on her way back to Italy on Wednesday.

Ms Sala, who was on a press visa, was arrested on December 19 on charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but officials there did not provide any further details.

The Italian government announced on Wednesday morning that “the plane carrying journalist Cecilia Sala to her home took off a few minutes ago from Tehran,” adding that “thanks to intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels, the Iranian authorities released our citizen.” “

Sala, 29, was detained for 20 days and told her family she was being held in a solitary cell, with only two blankets and constant lights, her family said.

Fars, a news agency affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also reported on Ms. Sala’s release, citing the Italian Prime Minister.

On Wednesday, Ms Sala’s partner, Daniele Reneri, said she called him and told him: “I’m free.”

“I am very happy,” Mr. Reneri said as he prepared to go to the airport to receive Ms. Sala. He said the wait was “painful” but Italy did an “exceptional job.”

It was not clear how Italy was able to release Ms. Sala.

She was detained three days after police in Milan arrested Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a 38-year-old Iranian, on behalf of the United States. The United States accused Mr. Abedini of providing drone components to the Revolutionary Guards, the country’s primary military force.

Iranian authorities said on December 25 that they expected “the Italian government to prevent the violation of the human rights of an Iranian citizen who has been unjustly accused by the United States.”

Iran has frequently imprisoned foreigners and dual nationals to extract concessions from their countries, including prisoner exchanges, but Iranian officials said on Monday that there was no link between Mr. Abedini’s arrest and Ms. Sala’s.

On Wednesday, Mr. Abedini’s lawyer in Italy, Alfredo Di Francesco, did not respond to questions regarding developments in Mr. Abedini’s case. He said he was happy that Ms. Sala had been released and now needed to focus on his client’s case.

Ms. Sala’s visit to Iran was her first since 2021, and since then a lot has changed in the country. A new president has been elected, the shadow war with Israel has moved into the open, and Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s president and longtime ally, has recently been overthrown.

Ms. Sala, 29, a writer and podcaster, set out to document the changing atmosphere. She interviewed a comedian, photographed women in cafes and on the streets without wearing the hijab, and published it A selection of photos On Instagram last month, he described them as “the new faces of Tehran and its new streets.”

On December 19, as she was preparing to leave her hotel for a meeting around midday, her phone went offline, a person close to the family said. For 24 hours, her family did not hear from her, until after the plane on which Ms. Sala was supposed to leave took off. Then they received a phone call. “I have been arrested,” Ms. Sala told her family. “I’m not hurt.”

News of Ms. Sala’s arrest became public about a week later, on December 27, after she received a visit from Italy’s ambassador to Iran. Ms. Sala’s arrest has dominated media coverage in Italy, and President Sergio Mattarella mentioned her case in his year-end message.

Ms. Sala’s plane was scheduled to land in Rome on Wednesday, Mr. Rainieri said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Ms. Sala’s parents on Wednesday to inform them of her return, according to a government statement.

This is a developing story.

Lily Nikonazar Contributed to reports.