Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been released from Evin Prison in Iran and is returning to Italy, according to a statement from the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday. A flight carrying Sala departed Tehran late Wednesday morning and is expected to arrive in Rome in the afternoon.
Sala’s release follows diplomatic mediation by Italian authorities, who initiated negotiations with Tehran shortly after her arrest on 19 December. The Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on 30 December that Sala had been detained for alleged violations of the Islamic Republic’s laws.
News of Sala’s arrest emerged several days after the incident, prompting calls for her release from international journalist organisations. These groups have highlighted the frequent targeting of journalists in Iran, where arrests and imprisonment are a recurring concern.
Journalists’ organisations call on Iran to release Cecilia Sala
Sala’s family, who were immediately notified of her release, expressed their relief. Speaking to the Italian news agency ANSA, the director of the podcast platform where Sala works said her colleagues were eagerly anticipating her return.
