‘Our children lost years with their dad’: Engineer Robert Pether home after detention in Iraq for five years
Australian engineer Robert Pether has returned to Ireland after being detained in Iraq for five years following a contract dispute. His release followed international diplomatic efforts and the dismissal of proceedings by an Iraqi court.
Why it matters
The case highlights the risks faced by international contractors in volatile legal environments and the role of diplomatic intervention in securing releases.
Australian engineer Robert Pether, who was held in prison in Iraq for five years, has returned home to Ireland.
He was welcomed at Dublin Airport by his wife and children, who said they have been “living in hell” since Pether was arrested without charge in April 2021 in connection to a business dispute.
The 51-year-old, who had been living in Ireland for a number of years, had been working as a mechanical engineer on rebuilding the Iraqi Central Bank when he was arrested with a colleague from CME Consulting, the Dubai-based company they were working for.
There was a contract dispute between his employer and the Central Bank of Iraq, which led to him and his Egyptian colleague being imprisoned.
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