An Australian father, Dr. Robert Pether, who spent more than four years in an Iraqi prison under what he calls “bogus charges,” has issued a desperate Christmas plea, urging Australians to push the government to secure his safe return.
Dr. Pether was arrested in Iraq in 2021 and sentenced to five years in prison with a fine of $18.4 million, following allegations by the Central Bank of Iraq over alleged theft during a reconstruction project. However, a 2022 UN report found that his detention involved “abusive and coercive” interrogations, violating international law.
In 2023, the International Chamber of Commerce’s Court of Arbitration ruled that Iraq’s central bank was at fault, ordering it to pay $13 million to CME Consulting, Dr. Pether’s former employer. Despite these rulings, he remains stranded in Iraq due to restrictive bail conditions, without a passport, without a work visa, and facing potential new charges.
In an open letter released this week, Dr. Pether described himself as “completely broken” after enduring years of uncertainty, fear, and restricted freedom. “Here I am: alive, but not living,” he wrote. “Released six months ago, but still not free. Not home, not safe, not truly out. My life is suspended in a place where no one will state a lawful endpoint, and where my future can be tightened or loosened at will.”
He also highlighted the personal toll on his family. His wife, Desree, has been covering all expenses since the initial legal fees, and his children have endured years of absent fatherhood, missing milestones, birthdays, and Christmases. “The worst part is what it has stolen from my children,” he said.
Dr. Pether urged Australians to “make noise” and pressure the government. He called on citizens to contact their MPs and Foreign Minister Penny Wong, demanding clear timelines, recognition of UN findings, and a public resolution plan with accountability.
“This is my fifth Christmas away from my family. I cannot bear the thought of a sixth,” he wrote. “If you are an Australian who still believes we are the kind of country that protects its people: prove it.”
