Charges dropped against Irish citizen held in Iraq
But authorities in Baghdad are still holding the activist’s passport
CHARGES against Irish citizen Yasser Eljuboori, who was being held in jail in Iraq, have been dropped, his family have confirmed.
Mr Eljuboori was detained by Iraqi police on Monday morning after he tried to board a flight back to Dublin following a trip to visit his sick mother.
Mr Eljuboori, a well-known anticorruption activist, appeared in court in Baghdad yesterday.
He was told that the charges against him were to be dropped and he has been released on bail.
But the Iraqi authorities have retained his passport and he has been informed that there are ‘two to three days of paperwork’ to complete before he will be allowed to leave the country and return home to his family.
Speaking from her home in Balgriffin, Dublin, Mr Eljuboori’s wife Laura Wickham said: ‘This is a step in the right direction but there is a long road still ahead to bring Yasser home.
‘It is wonderful news that the charges have been dropped, but I will not stop campaigning until Yasser is safely home in Dublin.
‘I call on the Iraqi authorities to return Yasser’s passport urgently, end this ordeal and allow him to return home.’
She added: ‘I thank the Tánaiste and the Department of Foreign Affairs for the support which has brought us to this point.
‘But now I call upon them to keep the pressure up and make clear to the Iraqi authorities that this case is not over until Yasser is safely home in Ireland.’
Caoilfhionn Gallagher, counsel for Ms Wickham, added: ‘We welcome the news that Yasser Eljuboori has finally been released from custody, after an agonising four days of unjust and arbitrary detention and mistreatment.
‘He should never have been arrested, detained or charged in the first place, and his family should never have been put through this ordeal.
‘We call on the Iraqi authorities to ensure he is now able to leave the country safely and speedily and return to his home in Dublin.
‘We have asked the Irish Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the European Union External Action Service and the United Nations Special Procedures to seek urgent assurances from the Iraqi authorities that Yasser will face no further impediments and will finally be allowed safe passage from Baghdad.’
In a statement yesterday, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin said he welcomed the decision to drop charges against Mr Eljuboori.
‘This is naturally positive news for him, for his family, and all those who know and cherish him,’ Mr Martin said. ‘I know from speaking directly with Mr Eljuboori’s wife, Laura, today and earlier in the week, just how difficult the past few days have been for her and their three young children.’
He said he hoped the latest developments will ‘go some way towards alleviating the stress they have been experiencing’, but added: ‘I understand that their deep worry will not ease until the moment they are reunited with Yasser in Dublin.
‘Earlier this morning, I had an open and constructive call with Dr Fuad Hussein, the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Iraq, on Mr Eljuboori’s case.
‘Dr Hussein subsequently advised me that he had raised the case at the highest level and was confident that Mr Eljuboori would be released following the waiving of charges against him.’
Wife pleads for release of husband Yasser from Iraqi prison ‘Raised the case at the highest level’