Hope's for the release of an Elphin resident imprisoned in Iraq have been dashed as new charges have been brought against the Australian Engineer. Robert Pether was sentenced to five years in jail in April 2021 after a contractual dispute between his employer and the Government in Iraq. The charge and resulting trial have been questioned by both the Australian and Irish Government, with the UN also condemning the imprisonment and calling for his release.
Robert's wife Desree lives in Elphin with his three children and has serious concerns about his health. The family had been expecting his release at the start of the year, but were informed last week that new charges have been brought against him with a potential jail term of 15 years:
Desree says that it's been four years this month since they last saw him, with his children especially suffering according to Robert's wife:
