Kylie Moore-Gilbert ‘divorcing husband after affair’

Kylie Moore-Gilbert returned to Australia from prison to learn her husband had been having an affair with her colleague: report.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert and her husband Ruslan Hodorov.

Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert returned to Australia after 804 days in solitary confinement in an Iranian prison to learn her husband had been having an affair with her colleague, according to a report.

The University of Melbourne academic was locked up in a 3m x 2m cell in freezing temperatures and frequently subject to psychological torture. Meanwhile, her Russian-Israeli husband Ruslan Hodorov was in a relationship with her university colleague and PhD supervisor Dr Kylie Baxter, NewsCorp has today revealed.

According to the report, Dr Moore-Gilbert learned of the secret affair two days after she was returned home to Australia in November as part of a prisoner-swap deal.

Dr Moore-Gilbert boards her business class flight back to Australia after being released from jail in Iran., Picture: iribnews.ir

She had been serving a 10 year jail sentence after being convicted of espionage, charges she has always denied.

According to the report, Dr Moore-Gilbert is now seeking a divorce from her husband, who had been a point of contact for the Australian government as it worked to free her.

The report, published in NewsCorp newspapers today, cites friends of Mr Hodorov and Dr Baxter, who claim the affair began secretly a year after Dr Moore-Gilbert’s arrest.

Dr Moore-Gilbert was placed in solitary confinement for most of her sentence.

Dr Moore-Gilbert, pictured at Doha airport soon after her release from jail. Picture: Twitter

In a tweet on December 26, 2020, Dr Moore-Gilbert described some of the conditions when referring to another prisoner: “She is blindfolded every time she leaves her small, cold, empty cell. She is even masked and blindfolded when taken to the outdoor ‘exercise’ area. If she refuses, she will be handcuffed and dragged there by force. No one has heard from her since her transfer.”

Dr Moore-Gilbert’s release was co-ordinated by the Australian government in negotiation with Thailand. She was freed in exchange for three Iranians who were held in Thailand.

The University of Melbourne had been told of the relationship but refused to comment.

“Our priority is her health and wellbeing. We are looking forward to her returning to campus when she is ready,” a spokesperson told NewsCorp in a statement.

“We will not be commenting on Kylie’s private life.”

Further comment is being sought by The Australian.