The United States on Sunday urged
Iran to free Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist held in
Tehran's Evin Prison since December 19 in possible retaliation
for the December 16 arrest in Milan of an Iranian businessman
wanted in America on terror charges.
The United States is calling on Iran to "immediately and
unconditionally release" all those detained without just cause,
including Sala, a State Department spokesperson told la
Repubblica daily.
"Unfortunately, the Iranian regime continues to unjustly detain
citizens of many countries, often to use them as political
leverage," said the spokesman.
"There is no justification and they should be released
immediately," the spokesperson added, noting that "journalists
do critical work to inform the public, often in dangerous
conditions, and must be protected.
"The United States is in frequent contact with allies and
partners whose citizens are unjustly detained.".
The Swiss-Iranian businessman whose arrest at Malpensa Airport
on a US warrant for allegedly breaching sanctions on electronic
exports may be linked to Sala's arrest three days later in
Tehran is to ask for house arrest, his lawyer said Sunday.
Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, 38, faces extradition to the US for
alleged terror charges.
He is currently being held in Milan's Opera Prison.
Sala, 29, freelance correspondent for Il Foglio and a podcaster
for Chora Media, is in a solo cell in Tehran's notorious Evin
Prison and the Italian government says it is doing all it can,
with discretion, to get her back, possibly in a swap for
Najafabadi.
The Iranian regime is demanding his release and may be making
Sala's release conditional upon this.
No charges have been formally brought against her but it is
thought she has been accused of breaking the law. Sala is in
good health and alone in a cell in Evin Prison, Foreign Minister
Antono Tajani said Saturday, calling for the utmost media
discretion over the case.
"She is in good health, she is in a cell alone, unlike young
Alessia Piperno who was in a cell with other people who did not
speak any language other than their own. (Writer and travel
blogger Piperno spent 45 days in Evin on anti-government
activity charges in 2022, ed.).
Sala has spoken to her parents twice on the phone and has been
visited by Italian Ambassador to Tehran Paola Amadei.
Premier Giorgia Meloni has urged "caution" over the case, also
from the Italian media.
The prime minister is closely following the case and all efforts
are being made to bring Sala home, the PM's office at Palazzo
Chigi said.
Meloni has been following the "complex" case with constant
attention since the day of Sala's arrest, it said.
And she is "in close contact with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and with Cabinet Secretary Alfredo
Mantovano, in order to bring the Italian journalist home as soon
as possible.
"In agreement with her parents, this objective is being pursued
by activating all possible dialogues and with the necessary
caution, which it is hoped will continue to be observed also by
the Italian media."
Charges against Sala have not yet been formalised though they
are thought to be generic accusations of illegal anti-government
activities, while there has been Web speculation by haters about
alleged "Zionism" on her part.
There have been two prominent cases of western women being
exchanged for Iranians or for debt repayments after long spells
in jail in Tehran.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, an Iranian-British dual citizen, was
detained in Iran from 3 April 2016 to 16 March 2022 as part of a
long-running dispute between Britain and Iran, which ended when
London repaid millions in debt.
Kylie Moore-Gilbert, an Australian-British academic in Middle
Eastern political science, was imprisoned on charges of
espionage from September 2018 to November 2020, and released by
Iran in a prisoner swap on 25 November 2020, in exchange for
three Iranian convicted terrorists in Thailand, who had been
sentenced in connection with the 2012 Bangkok bomb plot.
Sit-ins and rallies were held across Italy Sunday to call for
Sala's release as the #FreeCecilia movement gathered pace.
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