Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who was arrested last month in Iran while on a reporting trip, was released and is on her way back to Italy on Wednesday, the Italian government said in a statement.
“The plane carrying the journalist Cecilia Sala home left Tehran a few minutes ago,” the Italian government announced on Wednesday morning, adding that “thanks to the hard work of diplomatic and intelligence agencies, our country has been freed from the Iranian authorities.”
Ms Sala, 29, was detained for 20 days and told her family that she was kept in solitary confinement, with only two blankets and constant light, her family said.
Fars, a news agency affiliated with the Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, also reported the news of Ms. Sala, quoting the Italian prime minister.
On Wednesday, a colleague of Ms. Sala, Daniele Raineri, said he called her and told her, “I’m free.”
“I’m very happy,” said Mr. Raineri as he prepares to go to the airport to greet Miss Sala. He said the wait was “terrible” but said Italy had done “an excellent job.”
Mr. Raineri said that Ms. Sala was supposed to arrive in Rome around 3.30 pm on Wednesday.
Ms. Sala, who had a journalist’s visa, was arrested on December 19 on charges of violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, but officials there did not provide further details.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni called Ms Sala’s parents on Wednesday to tell them she was returning, according to a government statement.
This is a developing story.
Leily Nikounazar reporting contributed.
Source link
