The Italian government has made a formal complaint to Iran about the arrest of documentary maker Esha Momeni and called for her immediate release.
Momeni, a 28-year-old Iranian who now lives in southern California, returned to Tehran just over two months ago to make a documentary about women's rights. She was arrested in Iran three weeks ago.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Franco Frattini, has instructed the Italian ambassador in Tehran to formally convey the government's concerns and express its strong expectations for a positive outcome.
Frattini has also asked the head of his department to meet the Iranian envoy on Monday to discuss the issue and to receive a direct explanation for the reasons behind the filmmaker's arrest and the prospects for her release.
According to media reports Momeni is being held in Section 209 in the notorious Evin Prison. A report in the US daily, The Los Angeles Times said she was being held without charge and was being denied access to legal counsel.
Active in women's rights, she participated in the One Million Signatures Campaign for Equality, a group that links activists in Iran with activists in the West.