Kylie Moore-Gilbert moved from Qarchak prison in Iran to unknown location

Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, convicted of espionage in a secret trial, has been moved from a notorious prison in Iran.

A British-Australian academic detained in Iran has been moved from a notorious prison to an unknown location, a human rights organisation has said.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert was arrested in Tehran in 2018 and convicted for espionage in a secret trial. She was sentenced to 10 years despite no evidence of her alleged crimes having been publicly presented.

The Iranian Association of Human Rights Activists has said Ms Moore-Gilbert was moved on Saturday from Qarchak prison, according to The Guardian.

It was reported her belongings were also moved, but there was no information on where she was taken.

“Obviously one hopes the move might be good news for Kylie, but we don’t know yet,” Elaine Pearson, Australia director of Human Rights Watch, told The Guardian.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a British-Australian academic detained in Iran has been moved from a notorious prison to an unknown location. Picture: University of Melbourne.

Iran’s Qarchak prison has been described as the world's worst women's jail. Source: Iran Human Rights Monitor

“Kylie has been detained for more than two years now, and she has endured very difficult conditions including extreme isolation. The Australian government should press forcefully and consistently for Kylie’s release and safe return to Australia.”

Ms Moore-Gilbert was stopped from returning back to Melbourne, where she is a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne, after attending a conference in Qom in Iran in August 2018.

The country’s Revolutionary Guard alleged that a person she interviewed for a research project was suspicious and refused to let her leave Iran.