Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has pledged to free Italian journalist, Cecilia Sala, who was detained in Iran.

The case of an Italian journalist being held in Iran is "complicated", but Rome hopes to bring 29-year-old Cecilia Sala home quickly, Italy's foreign minister said on Saturday. Sala, 29, who works for the newspaper Il Foglio and the podcast company Chora Media,

Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on Dec. 19, but news of her detention only became public on Friday. The reason for the arrest of Ms. Sala, a well-known reporter, has not been made public.

Italy's Foreign Ministry says it's trying to "clarify the legal situation of Cecilia Sala" more than a week after she was detained while reporting in Iran.

Italy has demanded that Iran release a journalist who has been in solitary confinement in Tehran's notorious Evin Prison for more than a week. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday that she wanted to bring reporter Cecilia Sala "home as quickly as possible.

Cecilia Sala, 29, was arrested on Dec. 19, according to Italy’s foreign ministry, but her arrest was only made public on Friday.

Iranian worshippers walk past a mural showing the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, after Friday prayers in Tehran, 19 April, 2024

Cecilia Sala, who works for Il Foglio, was arrested in Tehran before Christmas while on a reporting trip and is now being held in Evin prison.View on euronews