It feels like a cruel game, says the wife of man arrested in Iraq and stopped from returning to Ireland
Anti-corruption advocate now facing fresh charges of defamation
AN IRISH citizen who was arrested in Iraq last week cannot return home as he faces two fresh charges of defamation.
Anti-corruption advocate Yasser Eljuboori, 37, who emigrated to Ireland 16 years ago, was arrested on Monday, February 26 at Baghdad Airport when attempting to return to Dublin.
On his previous visit to Iraq to see his unwell mother, the fatherof-three had no issues returning here with his Irish passport.
Mr Eljuboori was initially accused of being in possession of a fake passport and was later detained in an Iraqi prison on charges of defamation against the country’s political leaders, including prime minister Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani.
The LinkedIn employee, who lives in Balgriffin, Dublin, claims he was beaten, blindfolded and robbed due to his regular posts on social media. All charges against him were dropped last Thursday. However, authorities retained this passport, promising he would be allowed to return to Ireland once they completed the relevant paperwork.
His family have now confirmed two additional charges in relation to his posts on X/Twitter have been filed by the chair of Iraq’s National Investment Commission and the mayor of Baghdad. Mr Eljuboori is charged under Article 226 of Iraq’s penal code, which criminalises any person who publicly insults public authorities or officials.
It’s understood he only learned of the charges when he attended court to collect his passport and other belongings.
His wife, Laura Wickham, is pleading with the Irish Government to do everything to ensure the release of her husband.
Speaking through her legal firm yesterday, she said: ‘The past week has been a rollercoaster of emotions for me.
‘The initial confusion at Yasser’s disappearance; the terror as I learned the news of his arrest, detention and criminal charges brought against him by the prime minister; the relief when he was released and now despair at these latest developments.
‘This feels like a cruel game; an ongoing torment playing with Yasser’s freedom.
‘Our children miss their dad and I miss my husband.’
Ms Wickham, who is a primary school principal in Dublin, added that the next 24 hours are crucial. ‘Every additional day and hour that he spends in Baghdad puts him at risk of further bogus charges,’ she said. ‘I am so grateful for all the Tánaiste, the Irish Government and the Department of Foreign Affairs are doing to help, and the EU and the UN.’
Mr Eljuboori is due to face a further court hearing today, with his legal team saying one set of the new charges against him is ‘likely to fall away’.
His lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher claims Mr Eljuboori is being targeted by officials for highlighting corruption in Iraq.
‘It is particularly cruel that Mr Eljuboori was informed that all charges were dropped and that he would be going home within days, when in fact new charges were being prepared behind the scenes which would keep him trapped in Baghdad, unable to return home to his family,’ she said. Ms Gallagher said authorities were using Iraqi law
‘Our children miss their dad’ ‘Game of legal whack-a-mole’
in a ‘brutal game of legal whacka-mole against Mr Eljuboori’.
Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has not commented on the latest setback, but last week welcomed the news that the initial charges were dropped.
‘Officials in my department and our embassy in Jordan remain actively involved on this case and will continue to provide consular assistance until Mr Eljuboori is reunited with his family in Dublin,’ he said.