Lawyers who helped detained Australian Robert Pether leave Iraq criticise Wong for announcing news
News Source
β’Mon, 12 Oct 2026 05:49:52 GMT
π° What Happened
Australian engineer Robert Pether has been allowed to leave Iraq after five years stuck in the country, including four years in jail. His family said they had been 'living in hell' since he was arrested without charge in April 2021. Advisers to Pether criticised the timing of Foreign Minister Penny Wong's statement, saying it was issued while he was still travelling through Turkey. Pether was released from jail last year but barred from leaving until an Iraqi court lifted the travel ban last week.
π The Backstory
Pether was detained over a business dispute between his employer and the Iraqi government. His firm was building a new headquarters for Iraq's central bank. He was jailed in Baghdad after the dispute soured, and his health worsened during detention. His family campaigned for years for his release. The case became an example of how business disputes in some countries can turn into long detentions for foreign workers.
π― Why It Matters
It is a reminder that disputes with some governments can cost ordinary workers their freedom far from home.
Australian engineer Robert Pether has been allowed to leave Iraq after five years stuck in the country, including four years in jail. His family said they had been 'living in hell' since he was arrested without charge in April 2021. Advisers to Pether criticised the timing of Foreign Minister Penny Wong's statement, saying it was issued while he was still travelling through Turkey. Pether was released from jail last year but barred from leaving until an Iraqi court lifted the travel ban last week.
Pether was detained over a business dispute between his employer and the Iraqi government. His firm was building a new headquarters for Iraq's central bank. He was jailed in Baghdad after the dispute soured, and his health worsened during detention. His family campaigned for years for his release. The case became an example of how business disputes in some countries can turn into long detentions for foreign workers.
It is a reminder that disputes with some governments can cost ordinary workers their freedom far from home.