The escalation of arbitrary detentions in authoritarian regimes has reached a new level of international tension, with worrying implications for global security, human rights and diplomatic stability. Two recent cases illustrate how dictatorial regimes are intensifying the use of detentions as a tool of retaliation and political control: the capture of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala in Iran. and that of the Argentine gendarme Nahuel Agustín Gallo in Venezuela.
Rematch
These incidents not only highlight patterns of state abuse, but also highlight the fragility of international organizations in addressing this type of crisis. In Iran, Cecilia Sala, a prominent 29-year-old war correspondent, was arrested on December 19 while carrying out her journalistic work in Tehran. Sala had a regular journalist visa and had previously reported on various international conflicts, including the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria. However, his presence in Iran coincided with the arrest in Italy of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, a Swiss-Iranian businessman accused of trafficking electronic components for drones, in violation of international sanctions.
According to the United States Department of State, Sala’s detention was a direct retaliation for this arrest, which shows how the Iranian regime uses foreign citizens as bargaining chips in diplomatic disputes.
Sala was kept in solitary confinement for a week, an act that contravenes international standards on the treatment of detainees. Italian authorities, including Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, have stated that Sala is in good health, and his arrest has generated outrage both in Italy and the international community. The Italian government, with the support of the European Union, is carrying out intense diplomatic efforts to secure his release.
The Gallo case
This episode highlights how authoritarian regimes, faced with sanctions and isolation, resort to these practices to exert pressure and divert attention from their own internal crises. It coincides in many points with the arrest of the Argentine gendarme Nahuel Agustín Gallo in Venezuela, which has exacerbated diplomatic tensions between Caracas and Buenos Aires.
Gallo, a corporal in the Argentine National Gendarmerie, was arrested in December upon entering from Colombia to visit his partner and son. However, the government of Nicolás Maduro accuses him of being part of a terrorist plot supported by international far-right groups. These accusations, which lack clear evidence, have been described by Argentine President Javier Milei as an “absolute lie.”
And Gallo’s situation is complicated by the diplomatic rupture between Argentina and Venezuela: in July, Caracas expelled Argentine diplomatic staff following Buenos Aires’ support for the Venezuelan opposition in the controversial presidential elections that year. Since then, members of opposition Corina Machado’s team remain entrenched in the former Argentine embassy, now under the management of the Brazilian delegation in Venezuela.
But this lack of consular representation has left Gallo without access to visits and diplomatic protection, one more violation of his fundamental rights: Gallo’s mother, Griselda Heredia, has denounced that her son was kidnapped at the border and that his detention is illegal. . Meanwhile, the Argentine government is seeking alternative channels to press for his release.
Modus operandi
These cases reflect a worrying pattern in which authoritarian regimes use arbitrary detentions as a tool of retaliation and coercion. In the case of Iran, Sala’s detention appears to be part of a broader strategy to respond to international sanctions and protect key figures in its military-industrial apparatus.
For its part, the Maduro government uses accusations of terrorism to delegitimize the internal opposition and foreign governments that question its regime. Both cases highlight the instrumentalization of the judicial system to consolidate power and silence criticism.
Furthermore, these incidents highlight the growing risks for journalists and activists in authoritarian contexts. Cecilia Sala, who has covered conflicts such as the crisis in Venezuela, the war in Ukraine and the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, becomes another example of how independent journalism can be perceived as a threat by these regimes.
The criminalization of journalism, accompanied by disinformation campaigns and legal retaliation, seeks not only to intimidate reporters but also to restrict the flow of information in an increasingly polarized world.
Gallo’s arrest, in parallel, highlights the precariousness of human rights in Venezuela, where the official narrative is used to justify political persecution and unfounded accusations. This case adds to a series of human rights violations documented by international organizations, including the imprisonment of political opponents and the repression of citizen protests. The lack of access to a fair trial and manipulation of charges are part of a broader strategy to consolidate the regime’s power.
Questions
In a global context, the trend towards arbitrary detentions raises serious questions about the role of international organizations and the ability of democracies to protect their citizens abroad. The lack of effective mechanisms to hold authoritarian regimes accountable and ensure justice for victims leaves a vacuum that these governments exploit with impunity. The ineffectiveness of economic sanctions and traditional diplomatic resolutions reinforces the need for coordinated and decisive action by the international community.
The cases of Sala and Gallo are not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern of criminalization of dissent and the political use of detentions.
The international community, led by the United Nations and the International Criminal Court, shrugs its shoulders when it should redouble its efforts to denounce these practices and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
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