Britain is stepping up pressure on Iran for the release of Australian academic Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert, saying it was “unacceptable and outrageous” that she is languishing in a notorious Tehran jail.
The University of Melbourne Islamic Studies expert has been sentenced to 10 years’ jail on spying charges, which she has strongly denied.
She remains in the solitary confinement unit 2A of the prison and is on track to break a record for the longest time in the harsh conditions in the 3m by 2m cells.
Dominic Raab, Britain’s foreign secretary, told Sky News Australia that the UK had been appealing to the Iranian government for them to free the dual UK-Australian national.
“At every point of engagement with the Iranian government we raise all of these cases, we raise all of the cases,” he told Laura Jayes on Sky News.
“We are making it very clear to Tehran that the detention of all dual nationals is unacceptable and outrageous.
“It’s one element of the unlawful behaviour by the regime in Tehran which needs to end if they are going to end their political and economic isolation.”
Mr Raab added that Iran’s isolation would “only get worse” if they continue to lock up people “without grounds on a political whim”.
He said he was working with the Australian Government on Dr Moore-Gilbert’s case.
Read the report by Stephen Drill in the Herald Sun.