The United States has joined the call to release Australian citizen and engineer Robert Pether, who has been held in prison in Iraq for more than four years.
Pether and his colleague were arrested on fraud charges in Baghdad on April 7, 2021, after a contractual dispute between their employer CME Consulting and the Central Bank of Iraq.
He was sentenced to five years and a $16 million fine later that year in August and was forced to sign what he claimed was a pre-written incriminating confession in Arabic.
Pether and his family have maintained his innocence against the “fabricated” charges, with the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2021 ruling that he had been arbitrarily detained and did not receive his right to a fair trial and due process.
He marked four years in prison earlier this week, which Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged with a call for his release.
“He has served the custodial sentence imposed on him by the Iraqi courts. It’s time for him to be returned to his family,” she said.
“The Australian Government will continue to advocate for Mr Pether’s release.”
Today, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs joined the call for his release and reunion with his family.
“We stand with our Australian partners in calling for the release of Robert Pether, following the end of his custodial sentence,” the envoy said.
“We hope to see him reunited with his family as soon as possible.”
Pether’s wife Desree Pether said she was “so grateful for the support” from the US.
In an emotional letter penned from behind bars last year, Pether wrote about Desree and his four children Dylan, Flynn, Oscar and Nala and said he wants to go home to Australia.
“I’ve missed so many milestones,” he wrote.
“Our oldest sons 30th, our other sons 18th and soon 21st and our youngest son’s 16th and 18th. Our youngest two boys have finished school and are now young men. Our daughter was 8 when I was arrested and is now 11.
“I’ve missed three Christmases and 4 Easters, multiple birthdays, 3 wedding anniversaries, and so much more.
“I want to go home. I want to go back to Australia and hear the birds, swim at the beach, sit and watch the harbour while the ferries come and go and feel the sun on my skin.”
Pether and his wife have repeatedly called on the Australian government to do more to help secure his release.
9news.com.au has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs for comment.
