Robert Pether reunites with family in Ireland after being detained in Iraq for five years

The Australian engineer had been held in Iraq since April 7, 2021.

Australian engineer Robert Pether was detained in Iraq in April 2021 on fraud charges linked to a contract dispute between his employer and the Central Bank of Iraq over the construction of its new headquarters, after being summoned to a meeting in Baghdad with his Egyptian colleague.

Prior to his arrest, Pether had been living in Roscommon with his wife and children.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin "warmly welcomed" the news, saying it comes as a "great relief to Robert's family".

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, confirmed this morning that Mr Pether was returning to Ireland.

"This brings to an end an extraordinarily difficult period for Robert, his wife Desree and their children," she said in a statement. 

Additionally, she thanked the Australian government for their support in Pether's release.

""I would like to thank the Australian government for all their support to Robert and in securing his release. 

"I want to acknowledge the efforts of the Iraqi prime minister al-Zaidi, Iraq’s foreign minister Hussein and the hard work and coordinated approach of the Irish Government who have been liaising on Robert’s release for some time. 

"I would also like to thank Irish diplomatic officials for their work on this case.

"I know the HSE, the National Ambulance Service and Galway University Hospital are ready to give Robert the care he needs at this time and I am very grateful for this," Ms McEntee continued. 

Released from jail last year on health grounds, the 51-year-old remained in Iraq until a court dismissed the case and lifted his travel ban due to insufficient evidence.

Following lengthy negotiations involving Irish, Australian, Egyptian and Iraqi officials, as well as his pro bono legal team at international arbitration consultancy Slaney Advisors, Pether was allowed to fly home to Ireland today via Turkey.

His wife Desree said she is "just very emotional”. 

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland show, she said: “He thought he was going to be all cool, calm and collected, but actually he’s a lot more emotional than he though he was going to be. So it is going to be a hard journey for him."

She added that Mr Pether will be brought straight to hospital for “the urgent medical care that he has needed for the last nearly 18 months."

“We’ve got to get that sorted first and hopefully there’s nothing too ominous and it’s all stuff that can be sorted.

“And then apparently he wants lasagna, so I guess I’m cooking,” she added.