Thailand Confirms Identity of Three Prisoners Exchanged for Kylie Moore Gilberta

One day after the release of Kylie Moore Gilberta, an Australian citizen, from Evin Prison, Thai authorities confirmed that they have sent three Iranian prisoners who were detained in the country back to Tehran.

Iranian media reported on Wednesday, December 27, that Kylie Moore Gilberta, who was imprisoned in Iran on charges of “spying for Israel,” has been released in exchange for the freedom of “three Iranian merchants.”

However, despite significant media coverage and a reception by Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for these three prisoners, the reports made no mention of the identity of the three individuals who had been identified as merchants.

In a video released of the exchange of these three individuals with the British-Australian researcher, all three were wearing masks and black wide-brimmed hats.

Thai authorities have now confirmed in statements to the Associated Press that they have sent three Iranians, who were arrested in connection with a 2012 bombing plot, back to Tehran.

Following explosions in a safe house in Bangkok in February 2012, three Iranians, who according to local witnesses were wounded, fled the location.

Thai police arrested two of these individuals in Thailand and charged them with bombings against Israeli targets, a charge that Iran denied at the time.

A third person was also detained at a Malaysian airport while, according to police, attempting to flee to Tehran.

One of these individuals, named Masoud Moradi, who was 28 years old at the time, left two bombs in public places while fleeing, with the explosion of one of them causing him to lose both his legs. He arrived at Tehran airport last night in a wheelchair.

Thailand’s Deputy Prosecutor told the Associated Press that these three individuals were returned to their country based on an agreement between Iran and Thailand, and such prisoner exchanges are “not uncommon.”

The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting News Agency reported on Wednesday, December 27, that these three individuals were “three Iranian economic activists who were arrested for the purpose of circumventing sanctions.”

Source: Radio Farda