Australian academic detained in Iran sentenced to 10 years in prison An Australian university lecturer detained in Iran has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for spying, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN Wednesday. Is this is the first time a Westerner has been imprisoned in Iran for espionage. If so it is setting a dangerous precedent for Westerners travelling in some of these more secretive Middle Eastern countries. In addition..her two fellow Australian travel bloggers also arrested have emphatically denied they were spying.