Australian engineer Robert Pether has been allowed to leave Iraq after more than five years in detention. Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the release following sustained diplomatic advocacy.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Australian engineer Robert Pether has been allowed to leave Iraq after more than five years in detention, following a protracted campaign by his family and the Australian government. Pether was arrested in Baghdad in April 2021 in connection with a business dispute involving his engineering firm, CME Consulting, and the Iraqi government.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed on Monday that Pether had been permitted to depart the country. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian officials escorted Pether to the airport, where he planned to fly to Ireland to reunite with his wife and children.
"The Australian government welcomes the Iraqi government’s decision to allow Mr Robert Pether to leave Iraq today," Wong said. "I spoke to Mr Pether shortly before his departure from Baghdad and am pleased he is now free to move forward with his life and be reunited with his family."
Wong stated that the outcome followed "many years of persistent advocacy by the Australian government, including at the highest levels of government, and sustained consular assistance to Mr Pether and his family." The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the government had made 280 separate representations "at all levels" since his detention. Wong clarified that while the Australian government does not make monetary contributions for alleged offences, it engages in "sustained advocacy."
Pether and his colleague, identified as Khalid Radwan by The Guardian and Khalid Zaghloul by the Sydney Morning Herald, were detained after flying to Baghdad for a meeting with bank officials. The dispute concerned a project to build the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Iraq.
Pether was sentenced and fined over allegations that his firm spent money that should have gone to an architect and a subcontractor. An Iraqi judge found Pether guilty of deception in August 2021, although his lawyers argued he should not be held responsible for the actions of CME Consulting. The Iraqi government insisted that Pether or the company must pay a $US12 million fine.
In March 2022, the United Nations working group on arbitrary detention found that Pether had been arbitrarily detained in breach of international law. The UN body stated the arrest constituted an "enforced disappearance" and may have involved forms of torture. The working group reported complaints that Pether "was exposed to extreme cold, threats of death, humiliation and various forms of psychological abuse."
Pether’s health deteriorated significantly during his imprisonment. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that he lost a lot of weight and battled cancer. He was released from prison mid-last year due to his deteriorating health but remained banned from leaving Iraq until this week.
In a letter obtained by The Guardian in 2022, Pether described his prognosis as "bleak" and expressed fear of a potential "death sentence." He wrote of the difficulty of telling his children he might not return: "How do you tell a little girl who loves unicorns and cats that her daddy will not be coming home?"
His wife, Desree, who resides in Ireland, had previously criticized the efforts of Australian officials but stated after his initial release from prison that she was "grateful to everyone who contributed to this happening."
The release marks the end of a high-profile consular case that highlighted the risks faced by Australian citizens working in international business disputes. The case drew attention from the United Nations, which concluded that the violations of the right to a fair trial were of such gravity as to render the deprivation of liberty arbitrary. The resolution underscores the role of sustained diplomatic pressure in securing the release of detained nationals abroad.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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