Italian journalist Cecilia Sala freed from Iran’s Evin Prison

An Italian journalist detained in Iran for three weeks was released Wednesday and is returning home, Italian officials said.

Cecilia Sala was released following “intensive work on diplomatic and intelligence channels,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said.

The journalist, who contributes to the daily newspaper Il Foglio and hosts the “Stories” podcast for media outlet Chora Media, had been in Iran on assignment and with a journalist visa when she was arrested in the capital, Tehran, on December 19.

The state news outlet IRNA reported that Sala was being held after “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The 29-year-old journalist was held in solitary confinement at Iran’s Evin prison. While detained, she told family that she had to sleep on the floor of a cell that had lights on permanently.

Meloni is expected to greet Sala when the journalist arrives in Rome later on Wednesday. “I want to express my gratitude to everyone who helped make Cecelia’s return possible, allowing her to re-embrace her family and colleagues” Meloni said in a statement on X.

Sala’s father Renato Sala said he was overcome when he learned that his daughter was returning home.

“I have only cried three times in my life,” he told Reuters. “During this period, I had the impression that a game of chess was being played, but there were more than just two players.”

The National Press Club in Washington welcomed Sala’s release.

“Sala’s ordeal was a brazen attack on press freedom and a reminder of the extraordinary risks journalists face to bring the truth to light,” National Press Club president Emily Wilkins said in a statement. “Her freedom is a victory for journalism and for all who stand against the silencing of the press.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately reply to VOA’s email requesting comment on Sala’s release.

Sala was detained three days after Swiss-Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini was arrested in Milan on a U.S. warrant. He is accused of allegedly supplying drone parts that Washington says were used in a 2024 attack that killed three U.S. service members in Jordan.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that they believe Sala’s arrest was likely a response to the businessman’s arrest. But Iran has denied that accusation.

Abedini remains detained in Italy, with a court due to decide next week on his request to be released to house arrest ahead of proceedings to extradite him to the U.S.

Iran has long arrested foreigners and dual nationals, including journalists, and then used them as bargaining chips in an attempt to draw concessions from other countries, rights groups say. Iran denies the practice.

American journalist Roxana Saberi was detained by Iran in 2009 and held for around 100 days before being released. And the Washington Post’s Jason Rezaian was held for more than 540 days in Iran before being released in 2016 in a prisoner swap. His wife, journalist Yegi Rezaian, was arrested at the same time and detained for 72 days.

Press freedom groups have said Sala's arrest underscored the poor state of press freedom in Iran. The country is a leading jailer of journalists and it ranks 176 out of 180 countries on the Press Freedom Index, where 1 shows the best environment.

Some information in this report came from Reuters and the Associated Press.

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