Australian Man Robert Pether Celebrates 1,000 Days in Iraqi Prison

Australian national Robert Pether has remained imprisoned in Iraq for 1,000 days, with his family claiming that he is being held against his will. Pether was arrested in 2021 on charges of fraud, although the United Nations has criticized the detention as arbitrary. Pether's loved ones state that his health has significantly deteriorated during his time in prison, and they fear for his life. His lawyer is urging the Australian government to take urgent action to secure his release. Pether's wife Desree expressed concern that her husband, who has lost a substantial amount of weight since his arrest, may never see his children again. She lamented the loss of precious moments as the family endures this ordeal. Pether, a mechanical engineer, had traveled to Iraq to help reconstruct the country's Central Bank headquarters, but a disagreement arose between the bank and his employer, CME Consulting, leading to Pether's imprisonment. Both Pether and his Egyptian colleague Khalid Radwan were accused of embezzlement by the bank. After being held without charge for almost six months, the pair were swiftly tried, sentenced to five years in jail, and fined $12 million. However, a report from the UN in 2022 deemed their case a violation of international law, highlighting that they were subjected to abusive interrogations. While Iraq's government has denied any mistreatment, the UN's Special Rapporteur on torture is currently investigating the matter. The International Chamber of Commerce's Court of Arbitration also ruled against Iraq's central bank in the dispute with CME, ordering it to pay $13 million to the company. Peter Griffin, a UK human rights lawyer representing Pether, stated that this ruling completely undermines Iraq's justification for Pether's imprisonment and believes that Iraq is detaining Pether in hopes of benefiting financially. Griffin emphasized that the Australian government needs to do more to secure Pether's release, citing the efforts made by other countries in similar situations and claiming that if Pether were from the US or UK, he would have returned home long ago. While Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been advocating for Pether's rights and welfare, they cannot forcibly intervene in Iraq's legal processes.