Australian man Robert Pether has been freed from an Iraqi jail on conditional bail after spending four years behind bars.
Pether, 50, was arrested in April 2021 after being slapped with litany of fraud charges including deception following a bitter contract dispute between the consulting firm he was working for and the Central Bank of Iraq.
The dispute also saw his Egyptian colleague Khalid Radwan imprisoned with the UN stating the detention of the two men and their treatment was illegal.
Mr Pether, who was previously living in Ireland, was initially slapped with a jail sentence of five years and a hefty $16 million fine, with his wife and legal team describing the charges as trumped-up and invented.
The man’s health was reportedly failing with the UN emphasising there was credible evidence to suggest that Iraqi officials had used torture methods against him.
Desree Pether told the ABC earlier in the year that she had grave concerns for her husband’s physical and mental wellbeing, and that he had limited access to medical staff.
Mr Pether’s family also reiterated he had no involvement in the quarrel, and that he was being used as a bargaining chip due to substantial budget blowouts and delays related to the construction of the new Iraqi central bank headquarters.
Iraqi authorities are yet to explain the reason behind Mr Pether’s arrest and subsequent imprisonment, with Mrs Pether telling the BBC her husband was “extremely sick” and still barred from leaving the country despite requiring urgent medial attention.
Mrs Pether also said she spoke to her husband after his release on Thursday night and stated that “he’s on a but of a high tonight, but I think he’ll come crashing down tomorrow”.
“He’s unrecognisable. If he got on a plane now and they were checking his passport, they would not know it was the same person,” she said, adding he was weak and unable to keep food down.
“It’s the first time in over four years that we’ve taken one step in the right direction,” she said and stated the family was still gripped with shock.
“There’s a tiny glimmer of hope, but there’s another mountain still to go over.”
Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris said Mr Pether’s release was a positive development and that Iraq’s Foreign Minister had called him to deliver the “welcome news”.
“This evening, I have been informed of the release on bail of Robert Pether, whose imprisonment in Iraq has been a case of great concern,” he said in a statement.
“This is very welcome news in what has been a long and distressing saga for Robert’s wife, three children and his wider family and friends.
He also spoke with Mr Pether and assured him that his government would tirelessly ensure his return to Ireland.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong also welcomed the development and reiterated that Australia had relentlessly advocated for the man’s release with the Iraqi government.
“His case has been raised with Iraqi authorities over 200 times, including at the highest level by the Prime Minister and myself,” Senator Wong said.
A 2022 report from the UN said the case breached international law and that both men had been subjected to “abusive and coercive” interrogations.
In 2023 the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) Court of Arbitration ruled that Iraq’s central bank was at fault for the business disagreement with Mr Pether’s employer CME and ordered it to pay $13 million to the company.
Mrs Pether said her efforts are now turning to have her husband’s travel ban lifted and she is also crowdfunding finances to get Mr Pether treated in a private hospital in Baghdad.
