Italian journalist arrested in Iran

Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist for the newspaper Il Foglio, was arrested in Iran earlier in the month, Italy’s foreign ministry announced on Friday.

The arrest took place on Dec. 19 but was only made public by authorities today. The ministry said that the Italian ambassador to Iran Paola Amadei visited the journalist in detention to verify the conditions in which she was being held.

Sala, 29, has covered Iran extensively in the past and recently released an episode of her podcast “Stories,” in which she interviewed Zeinab Musavi, an Iranian standup comic who has spoken against the compulsory wearing of the hijab in her videos. Musavi was imprisoned earlier this year but has since been released.

Il Foglio wrote that Sala is being held in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison.

“Journalism isn’t a crime, not even in countries that repress every kind of freedom, including that of the press. Let’s bring her home,” the Italian daily wrote.

Sala’s detention follows the arrest in Italy of an Iranian national accused of supplying drone components to Iran, according to Iran’s foreign ministry, which has criticized the arrest.

Tehran has a long record of hostage diplomacy, in which it arrests Westerners to exchange them for officials held in Europe for spying, terrorism, or human rights violations.