Australian construction engineer Robert Pether has returned to Ireland after more than five years detained in Iraq, reuniting with his wife, Desree, and their children at Dublin Airport on Monday morning.
RTÉ reports that the 51-year-old arrived shortly after 9.45am on a flight from Baghdad via Turkey, bringing an end to a prolonged and distressing period for his family, who have campaigned for his release since his arrest in April 2021.
Speaking at the airport, Pether expressed his relief at being home and thanked the Australian, Irish and Egyptian governments, alongside everyone who supported his family.
“Today is about getting home and seeing most of my family and being a husband and a Dad again. And it is about saying thank you,” he said.
He also paid tribute to those who stood by his wife and children throughout his detention.
“From my wife and from our children: thank you to every person who stood beside us, spoke for us, fought for us, checked on us, supported our children, challenged what was happening, or simply refused to let us disappear,” he said.
Pether and his Egyptian colleague, Khalid Radwan, were arrested in Baghdad in April 2021 amid a contractual dispute between their employer, Dubai-based CME Consulting, and the Central Bank of Iraq. They had been working on a project involving the rebuilding of the Iraqi central bank.
Pether was subsequently sentenced and fined over allegations relating to payments owed to an architect and subcontractor. However, a 2022 report by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found that his detention was arbitrary and breached international law. The UN also raised concerns about alleged mistreatment and psychological abuse.
Pether was conditionally released from prison in 2025 due to deteriorating health but remained in Iraq under a travel ban. Last week, an Iraqi court dismissed proceedings against him and lifted the restrictions, allowing him to return to Ireland following negotiations involving Irish, Australian, Egyptian and Iraqi officials.
He said he had been critically ill when released from prison and had been unable to return to his family or access the medical treatment he needed abroad.
“Coming home is not exoneration and being allowed to leave is not justice,” he said.
Pether added that he had been required to sign a waiver before leaving Iraq but felt he had no meaningful choice after more than five years away from his family.
“Freedom should never have been something that had to be bargained for,” he said.
He insisted that his return should not be seen as correcting the injustice of his detention.
“We were innocent when we were taken on 7th of April 2021, and we remain innocent today,” he said.
His wife, who lives in County Roscommon with their four children, described the past five years as an ordeal marked by repeated setbacks and uncertainty.
“It’s been an absolute nightmare, especially these last few months,” she said, adding that the family had been reluctant to celebrate until he was safely on the plane.
Desree Pether said her husband would require urgent medical attention following his arrival. Galway University Hospital and the HSE were prepared to provide the care he needed.
She also thanked the Irish, Australian and Egyptian governments for their efforts to secure his return.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the outcome followed years of persistent advocacy by Australian and Irish authorities.
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Helen McEntee, welcomed Pether's return and thanked the Australian government, Iraqi officials and Irish diplomatic staff for their work. Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the news would bring enormous relief to the family.
While grateful to be home, Pether said he remained determined to highlight what happened and ensure others did not endure a similar experience.
According to The Irish Times, Pether said: “There will be time to talk about what happened, why it happened, who was responsible, and why nobody should ever be allowed to do this to another person or another family again.”
