Australian engineer Robert Pether speaks out after release from Iraq prison
After spending over five years detained in Iraq and battling severe illness, Australian engineer Robert Pether has finally reunited with his family following intense international negotiations.
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Australian engineer Robert Pether has firmly maintained his innocence in his first public comments after departing Iraq, where he endured more than five years in detention and a severe health crisis. Pether and his Egyptian colleague Khalid Radwan were initially detained in Baghdad in 2021 during a business trip to resolve a corporate dispute.
Reflecting on his ordeal, Pether stated that his body was shutting down due to critical illness before an Iraqi court finally dismissed proceedings against him last week, lifting a long-standing travel ban due to a lack of evidence.
Arriving in Dublin via Turkey, an emotional Pether paid tribute to his wife, Desiree, and her tireless years of campaigning for his freedom. His release was made possible through painstaking pro bono legal work and coordinated diplomatic negotiations involving officials from Ireland, Australia, Egypt, and Iraq.