Jacquelin Magnay, The Australian

Kylie Moore-Gilbert is no maverick, one of her close academic colleagues has revealed, insisting the Australian academic is battling to survive in an Iranian jail for ten years convicted of spying, only because of “hostage diplomacy’’. Melbourne-based Middle East researcher Dara Conduit has known Dr Moore-Gilbert since 2016 when both were finishing PhDs and she insists Dr Moore-Gilbert never took risks. Ms Conduit is the first friend in Twitter campaign @FreeKylieMG to reveal aspects of Dr Moore-Gilbert’s talents in a bid to keep the spotlight on her dire situation in Qarchak prison in the Iranian desert. Read more.