Robert Pether was detained in Iraq in 2021 and his family feared he would die in jail. Now he’s coming home

Australian engineer Robert Pether, 50, has left Iraq after being detained for five years over a contract dispute. Mr Pether was released from prison in Baghdad in June of last year, but remained in Iraq due to a ban on his departure related to financial claims. His wife, Desree, informed The National that he was set to arrive in Ireland around 9:25am local time.

The Australian Government expressed satisfaction with Iraq's decision to allow Pether's departure, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong crediting Australian officials for their efforts. Pether and his Egyptian colleague, Khaled Radwan, were arrested in 2021 for a contract dispute between CME, their employer, and Iraqi authorities. They received a five-year sentence and were ordered to pay $12 million.

Pether's health deteriorated during his prolonged detention, leading UN experts to express grave concern. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the International Chamber of Commerce's International Court of Arbitration both ruled the imprisonment as arbitrary and in violation of international law. The dispute arose from a $33 million contract awarded to CME in 2015, which was put on hold due to low oil prices and Iraq's conflict with ISIS.

Work resumed in 2018, but payment was withheld for 32 of the 48 months, as CME faced challenges meeting the contract's obligations.