US urges Iran to release Italian journalist - La Repubblica

Washington on Sunday urged Iran to release an Italian journalist detained in Tehran in a case likely related to Italy's arrest of an Iranian businessman on terrorism charges at the behest of the United States.

The US State Department called for the immediate and unconditional release of Cecilia Sala, 29, and others detained without just cause.

"Unfortunately, the Iranian regime continues to unjustly detain citizens of many countries, often to use them as political leverage," a State Department spokesperson told La Repubblica.

Sala, a newspaper journalist and podcaster, was arrested on December 19 despite working there with government-issued press credentials.

"There is no justification, and they should be released immediately," the spokesperson said, adding that journalists perform critical work to inform the public and must be protected.

Sala’s detention in Tehran may be linked to the arrest of a Swiss-Iranian businessman at Malpensa Airport three days earlier on a US warrant for allegedly violating sanctions on electronic exports, La Repubblica further added citing his lawyer.

Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, 38, faces terror-related charges for a deadly drone strike on a US military base in Jordan linked to Iran which killed three US soldiers.

He is currently held at Milan’s Opera Prison and faces potential extradition to the US.

On Sunday, a sit-in in Turin urged the Italian government to "do the impossible" to secure Sala's release and return her to Italy. Around fifty people, including city councilors and representatives from political and activist organizations, participated in the rally.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday that Sala is in good health and is being held alone in a cell in Evin Prison. Tajani called for media discretion over the case and confirmed that Sala has spoken to her parents twice by phone. Italian Ambassador to Tehran Paola Amadei has also visited her in prison.

"We know that the Italian government has asked us not to demonstrate, but we disobey, we demonstrate," said Italian politician Igor Boni, a member of the organization Europa Radicale, during the Turin rally on Sunday.

"For a week, a journalist from a democratic country has been arrested without charge in a dictatorial country like Iran. The last thing to do is remain silent."

The Italian government has pledged to work discreetly to secure Sala's release as international pressure grows on Iran over what some rights groups describe as a practice of detaining foreign nationals as political bargaining chips.