First photo of freed political prisoner Kylie Moore-Gilbert after Iran ordeal

Australian-British academic has kept a low profile since being reunited with her family

A handout photo from the campaign group Free Kylie Moore-Gilbert shows the former political prisoner at Doha airport, Qatar, prior to her transit to Australia. Twitter/ @FreeKylieMG
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The first photograph of freed Australian professor and political prisoner Kylie Moore-Gilbert was released, after the end of her 800-day ordeal in an Iranian maximum security prison.

Ms Moore-Gilbert, a lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of Melbourne's Asia Institute, was accused by Iran of spying for enemy states, including Israel, although authorities failed to produce credible evidence for the charge.

While Ms Moore-Gilbert returned safely to Australia last week, she faced a period of Covid-19 quarantine and is keeping a low profile.

Her campaigners requested minimal media contact while she enjoyed a long-awaited reunion with her family.

Although Ms Moore-Gilbert is free, several dual citizens from the UK, US and Germany are detained in Iran, many of them held on unclear charges.

On Tuesday, the campaign group Free Kylie Moore-Gilbert released an image of Ms Moore-Gilbert at Doha Airport before the final leg of her journey home.

The group relayed Ms Moore-Gilbert's thanks to supporters. "Finally, here is the first photo of Kylie as a free woman, taken at Doha airport soon after her release. In the end, love was enough. She's safe and home. Bless you all," said the group.

In a statement, Ms Moore-Gilbert thanked the campaign for their support.

"I can't tell you how heartening it was to hear that my friends and colleagues were speaking up and hadn't forgotten me, it gave me so much hope and strength to endure what had seemed like a never-ending, unrelenting nightmare," she said.

"My freedom truly is your victory. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."