Italy is working to secure the release of one of its journalists, Cecilia Sala, who has been detained in Iran since Dec. 19. Sala, a 29-year-old podcaster and journalist for Il Foglio newspaper, was arrested by Iranian authorities for “violating the laws of the Islamic Republic” while on a journalistic visa.
Earlier this week, Sala’s family learned of the harsh conditions she is enduring in solitary confinement, according to The Wall Street Journal. Sala phoned her family and told them authorities put her in Tehran’s Evin Prison. She also said she is sleeping on the cold floor of her cell with no mattress.
Point phone camera here
On Friday, Jan. 3, Iranian authorities demanded that Italy release Iranian businessman Mohammed Abedini. Italian authorities arrested him in Milan last month at the request of the United States.
The U.S. accuses Abedini of illegally supplying drone technology to Iranian-backed militants, used to kill three U.S. soldiers in an attack in Jordan nearly one year ago.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing growing pressure to secure Sala’s release. However, if Meloni agrees to release Abedini in a potential prisoner swap for Sala, the move could harm her future relationship with President-elect Donald Trump.
Trump has vowed to put “maximum pressure” on Iran, The Journal reports.
Meanwhile, Iranian authorities warned Italian officials Friday not to yield to Washington’s “political and hostile goals.”
President Biden plans to visit Rome from Jan. 9 to 12 for his final foreign trip as president, and he and Meloni will likely discuss this issue.
ITALY IS ATTEMPTING TO FREE ONE ITS JOURNALISTS DETAINED IN IRAN.
CECILIA SALA IS A 29-YEAR-OLD JOURNALIST FOR IL FOGLIO NEWSPAPER AND PODCASTER WAS ARRESTED BY IRANIAN AUTHORITIES ON DECEMBER 19 FOR “VIOLATING THE LAWS OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC” WHILE SHE WAS IN THE COUNTRY ON A JOURNALISTIC VISA.
EARLIER THIS WEEK, SALA’S FAMILY LEARNED OF THE HARSH CONDITIONS SHE’S LIVING IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, ACCORDING TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. SALA PHONED HER FAMILY AND TOLD THEM SHE’S IN TEHRAN’S EVIN PRISON, SLEEPING ON THE COLD FLOOR OF HER CELL WITH NO MATTRESS.
ON FRIDAY, TEHRAN AUTHORITIES DEMANDED ITALIAN AUTHORITIES RELEASE IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN MOHAMMED ABEDINI WHO WAS ARRESTD IN MILAN LAST MONTH ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE US ACCUSES ABEDINI OF ILLEGALLY SUPPLYING DRONE TECHNOLOGY TO IRANIAN-BACKED MILITANTS WHICH WAS USED TO KILL THREE US SOLDIERS IN AN ATTACK IN JORDAN NEARLY ONE YEAR AGO.
ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI IS UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE TO SECURE SALA’S RELEASE.
HOWEVER, IF MELONI AGREES TO RELEASE ABEDINI – IN A POSSIBLE PRISONER SWAP FOR SALA THE MOVE COULD HARM HER FUTURE REPUTATION WITH INCOMING PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP AS TRUMP HAS VOWED TO PUT “MAXIMUM PRESSURE” ON IRAN, THE JOURNAL REPORTS.
MEANWHILE, IRANIAN AUTHORITIES WARNED ITALIAN OFFICIALS FRIDAY NOT TO BOW TO THE QUOTE “POLITICAL AND HOSTILE GOALS” OF WASHINGTON.
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS SET TO VISIT ROME JANUARY 9TH THROUGH 12TH AS HIS LAST FOREIGN TRIP AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND IT’S LIKELY BIDEN AND MELONI WILL DISCUSS THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
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