Iran has confirmed the arrest of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, State news agency IRNA said, citing the Iranian Ministry of Culture.
Italy’s foreign ministry said in a statement Friday that Sala was detained in Tehran. IRNA said Monday that Sala had been detained on December 19 after “violating the laws of the Islamic republic of Iran.”
“Her case is currently under investigation. Her arrest was carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations, and the Italian Embassy in Tehran has been informed,” IRNA said, citing the Iranian Ministry of Culture.
The reporter was visited in prison Friday by Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei “to verify the conditions and state of her detention,” the statement said, adding that she had previously been allowed to make two phone calls to her relatives.
“We still don’t know the charges,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told journalists on Saturday.
Until Saturday, a lawyer had not visited Sala in prison, the Foreign Minister added.
“We hope that (the lawyer) will be able to do so in the next few days and that he will be able to know the exact charges as soon as possible,” Tajani said.
Sala was reporting in the Iranian capital when she was “stopped by Tehran Police” on December 19, the Italian Foreign Ministry statement said, adding that the Foreign Ministry “has worked with the Iranian authorities to clarify the legal situation of Cecilia Sala and to verify the conditions of her detention.” (CNN)
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