Robert Pether returning to Ireland after Iraqi detention

Updated / Monday, 12 Oct 2026 06:16 Robert Pether had spent years detained in Iraq after he was arrested in 2021 Robert Pether, a construction engineer, who has been held in Iraq for five years, is returning to Ireland this morning. The 51-year-old was jailed on fraud charges in 2021 alongside a colleague amid a contract dispute between the consulting firm he worked for and the Central Bank of Iraq. The UN had said Mr Pether's detention was illegal, and an international court had ruled his employer was not responsible for the business disagreement. Today the Australian government confirmed that Mr Pether was on his way "to being reunited with his family in Ireland". Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the outcome followed "many years of persistent advocacy" by Australia and the Irish authorities. "I spoke to Mr Pether shortly before his departure from Baghdad and am pleased he is now free to move forward with his life," she said. Speaking to RTÉ News this morning, Desree Pether who lives with her family in Elphin, Co Roscommon, said she "still can't quite believe it's real". "It's a massive relief," she said. Mr Pether's family have tirelessly campaigned for his release, fearing he would die in Iraq. Last year he was released on conditional bail from prison in Iraq, due to his deteriorating health but was banned from leaving the country. His family said he was living in fear of being re-arrested and was in hiding in Baghdad and completely isolated.