'Being allowed to leave does not erase injustice': Former Dubai resident leaves Iraq after years of detention

A former Dubai resident, Australian engineer Robert Pether, returned home after more than five years of detention in Iraq. Pether was reunited with his family in Ireland on Monday following his release from detention in Iraq, where he had been held over a contract dispute involving his employer. Initially jailed in August 2021, Pether was barred from leaving Iraq due to financial claims linked to the case, leading to a lengthy stay in the country. His colleague, Khaled Radwan, an Egyptian national, has also now left Iraq.

Pether and Radwan were two engineers who had traveled to Iraq for a routine business meeting, but their expectations quickly changed when they were arrested, fined $12 million, and jailed. The travel ban imposed by Baghdad led to international efforts, including those from the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, to secure their release.

During his time in detention, Pether's health deteriorated, prompting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to issue a statement in June 2022 highlighting the "particularly alarming" situation. His case drew attention to the psychological toll of prolonged detention and the lack of access to specialist medical care.

Despite being released from prison, Pether was prevented from leaving Iraq due to travel restrictions and financial claims. He eventually signed a waiver to return home, stating that no meaningful choice existed between signing the document and remaining trapped in Iraq. Pether expressed gratitude for being home but emphasized that freedom should never have been something that had to be bargained for.

His wife, Desree, and their children had lived with uncertainty and fear throughout Pether's ordeal, with the experience leaving a lasting emotional impact on their entire family. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed her gratitude for the tireless work of Australian officials and Irish authorities in achieving Pether's release and wished him and his family well as they reunited.