Jim Fitton Nearly 100 000 Back Campaign To Release British Geologist Faces Death Penalty In Iraq World News

Pressure is now mounting on the government to take urgent action and help free the father of two children, Jim Feton, 66, whose life is “in balance”, his supporters say. Within days of its launch by his family, a report has already garnered more than 95,000 signatures. Leila’s daughter and husband Sam Tasker, from Bath, Somerset, also revealed that his conviction this month is expected to coincide with a long-planned wedding celebration last year amid restrictions on the coronavirus. They said: “There is never a good time for this to happen, but we are a week away from what should be the happiest day of our lives and the culmination of a project for more than two years, and it has turned into an absolute nightmare. of life “. Mr. Fitton worked as a geologist for oil and gas companies during his career and lives in his adopted home in Malaysia with his wife, Sarijah. COVID travel rules mean Mr Fitton’s daughter has not seen him in more than two years. Mr Fitton has been detained in Iraq for five weeks after allegedly trying to smuggle historical artifacts out of the country. His family said Mr. Fitton had collected stones and broken pottery as a souvenir while visiting a site in Eridu, in the southeast, as part of an organized geology and archeology tour. But they added that the items were deemed artifacts under Iraqi law, and the charge against Mr. Fiton states that “anyone who intentionally or intentionally exported an antiquity from Iraq will be punished by execution.” Image: Mr. Fitton appears here with his wife Sarijah and daughter Leila, who has described his condition as “a living nightmare” The case in connection with the March incident is expected to be heard this week, starting on May 8. Phyton’s family described the response to the report as “unbelievable”, adding in a statement: “Jim really appreciates the support from old colleagues, good friends, relatives and complete strangers who did not let him go unnoticed. “We will continue to fight as long as we continue to have you on our backs.” The family said their lawyer had drafted a proposal under Iraqi law to close the case before the trial, but needed the Foreign Office to “put its weight behind the plan and approve it” so they could secure a high-level meeting with judicial officials in the country. Wera Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat MP from Bath, took the case to ministers in the House of Commons. He said: “We are pushing the Foreign Office to intervene, but unfortunately they continue to refuse. “I can not understand why the Foreign Office does not intervene when Jim’s life is in balance.” He added: “The Foreign Office must do everything in its power to bring Jim back to his family.” Picture: Father of two children with his wife and two children Joshua and Leila, fighting for his release The Foreign Office said it was providing consular support and was in contact with local authorities. Secretary of State Amanda Milling, in a letter to Ms Hobhouse last week, said: and the United Kingdom’s opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle “.

title: “Jim Fitton Nearly 100 000 Back Campaign To Release British Geologist Faces Death Penalty In Iraq World News Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Charles Henson”

Pressure is now mounting on the government to take urgent action and help free the father of two children, Jim Feton, 66, whose life is “in balance”, his supporters say. Within days of its launch by his family, a report has already garnered more than 95,000 signatures. Leila’s daughter and husband Sam Tasker, from Bath, Somerset, also revealed that his conviction this month is expected to coincide with a long-planned wedding celebration last year amid restrictions on the coronavirus. They said: “There is never a good time for this to happen, but we are a week away from what should be the happiest day of our lives and the culmination of a project for more than two years, and it has turned into an absolute nightmare. of life “. Mr. Fitton worked as a geologist for oil and gas companies during his career and lives in his adopted home in Malaysia with his wife, Sarijah. COVID travel rules mean Mr Fitton’s daughter has not seen him in more than two years. Mr Fitton has been detained in Iraq for five weeks after allegedly trying to smuggle historical artifacts out of the country. His family said Mr. Fitton had collected stones and broken pottery as a souvenir while visiting a site in Eridu, in the southeast, as part of an organized geology and archeology tour. But they added that the items were deemed artifacts under Iraqi law, and the charge against Mr. Fiton states that “anyone who intentionally or intentionally exported an antiquity from Iraq will be punished by execution.” Image: Mr. Fitton appears here with his wife Sarijah and daughter Leila, who has described his condition as “a living nightmare” The case in connection with the March incident is expected to be heard this week, starting on May 8. Phyton’s family described the response to the report as “unbelievable”, adding in a statement: “Jim really appreciates the support from old colleagues, good friends, relatives and complete strangers who did not let him go unnoticed. “We will continue to fight as long as we continue to have you on our backs.” The family said their lawyer had drafted a proposal under Iraqi law to close the case before the trial, but needed the Foreign Office to “put its weight behind the plan and approve it” so they could secure a high-level meeting with judicial officials in the country. Wera Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat MP from Bath, took the case to ministers in the House of Commons. He said: “We are pushing the Foreign Office to intervene, but unfortunately they continue to refuse. “I can not understand why the Foreign Office does not intervene when Jim’s life is in balance.” He added: “The Foreign Office must do everything in its power to bring Jim back to his family.” Picture: Father of two children with his wife and two children Joshua and Leila, fighting for his release The Foreign Office said it was providing consular support and was in contact with local authorities. Secretary of State Amanda Milling, in a letter to Ms Hobhouse last week, said: and the United Kingdom’s opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle “.