Australia demands release of jailed citizen in Iraq
Shafaq News/ Australia has renewed its call for the release of citizen Robert Pether, warning that a second conviction in Iraq could endanger his life and further devastate his family, The National reported on Tuesday.
Pether, an Australian engineer formerly based in Dubai, has completed a four-year sentence stemming from a contractual dispute involving his employer and Iraqi authorities. He is now reportedly facing new money laundering charges that could extend his imprisonment by 15 years.
His wife, Desree Pether, told The National that he is in severe physical and mental condition and may not survive another conviction. She also described the family’s financial hardship, noting they had to sell their car to meet basic expenses and support their children’s education.
Australian citizen Robert Pether has now been in prison in Iraq for four years.He has served the custodial sentence imposed on him by the Iraqi courts. It’s time for him to be returned to his family. The Australian Government will continue to advocate for Mr Pether’s release.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) April 7, 2025
On Monday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Iraq to release Pether, emphasizing in a post on X that “he has served the custodial sentence imposed on him by Iraqi courts. It’s time for him to be returned to his family.”
Pether and his Egyptian colleague, Khaled Radwan, were arrested in 2021 during a business trip linked to the construction of the Central Bank of Iraq’s new headquarters. Both were sentenced and fined $12 million. The United Nations previously labeled their detention “arbitrary and a violation of international law.”
The original case stemmed from a $33 million contract awarded to CMA in 2015. In 2023, the International Chamber of Commerce’s Arbitration Court held the Central Bank of Iraq liable for the contract’s collapse.
