UN Experts Raise Alarm Over Australian Engineer in Iraq

Although Pether was released from detention in June 2025, UN experts said restrictions linked to ongoing financial claims connected to the commercial dispute continue to prevent him from leaving Iraq.

United Nations human rights experts have voiced deep concern over the condition of Australian engineer Robert Pether, warning that he is facing a potentially life-threatening medical situation while still being unable to leave Iraq. Pether travelled to Baghdad in April 2021 to help resolve a contractual dispute involving his employer, CME Consulting, and the Central Bank of Iraq. He was later arrested and imprisoned. In 2021, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that his detention was arbitrary and said he was being used as leverage in a commercial dispute. Human rights experts later warned that his continued detention and treatment could amount to hostage-taking under international law.

Medical experts warn urgent treatment is needed

Although Pether was released from detention in June 2025, UN experts said restrictions linked to ongoing financial claims connected to the commercial dispute continue to prevent him from leaving Iraq. The experts said his health has deteriorated significantly since his release. Pether has a history of melanoma and dysplastic nevus syndrome, conditions that require ongoing specialist monitoring because they increase the risk of skin cancer. They also referred to concerns over medical procedures carried out while he was detained, alleging that suspicious skin lesions were not properly assessed and that complications from treatment led to a serious infection. Medical assessments have reportedly warned of the risk of disease progression and recommended urgent specialist cancer care.

UN calls for immediate action

The UN experts said Pether's prolonged detention, uncertainty about his future and limited access to specialist medical treatment have placed him in an increasingly vulnerable position. They stressed that no one should be prevented from receiving potentially life-saving healthcare because of a commercial dispute in which they are not personally a party.

The experts urged both the Australian and Iraqi governments to act quickly to ensure Pether receives the specialist medical treatment he needs and to remove any remaining barriers preventing him from returning home to Australia.