Robert Pether: 4 years hostage in Iraq - US backs calls to free him скачать в хорошем качестве

Robert Pether: 4 years hostage in Iraq - US backs calls to free him

It has now been 4 years that the Australian citizen Robert Pether languishes in an Iraqi jail, arbitrarily detained, according to the Human Rights Council's Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, since April 7 2021. On that day Pether, the lead engineer for the construction of the Iraq Central Bank was taken hostage, along with an Egyptian colleague, in relation to a contractual dispute between the bank and their employer Cardno Middle East (CME). The dispute is over an unpaid bill by the central bank to CME, the building contractor for the project. The two senior employees were invited to attend a reconciliation meeting in Iraq, after which they were unexpectedly arrested by a dozen police. The men were then charged with fraud, jailed and fined $13 million, roughly the same amount the bank was in arrears. There have since been three rulings against the Iraq Central Bank, at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Court of Arbitration, and in the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. Yet Pether and his colleague Khaled Radwan continue to be held in harsh conditions, as "leverage" says the UN Working Group, in a future resolution with their employer CME - and they are to be held “indefinitely”, says an order sent by the bank to a local judge. Pether was due for release on January 8th, but that did not happen. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who had said last November that she would be concerned if Pether was not released as expected, issued a further statement on X on April 7, the fourth anniversary of his detention, saying: “Australian citizen Robert Pether has now been in prison in Iraq for four years. He has served the custodial sentence imposed on him by the Iraqi courts. It’s time for him to be returned to his family. The Australian Government will continue to advocate for Mr Pether’s release.” The Foreign Minister's statement was reposted by the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, who added: "We stand with our Australian partners in calling for the release of Robert Pether, following the end of his custodial sentence. We hope to see him reunited with his family as soon as possible." The Pether family reports that the Egyptian and Irish governments have also made representations and that they have provided extensive support and advice. Interview with Desree Pether, wife of Robert, and Senator David Shoebridge. Hosts: Cathy Vogan and Elizabeth Vos.