A petition calling for the release of the father of two, Jim Feton, 66, has received more than 95,000 signatures in the three days since its release. Leila’s daughter and her husband, Sam Tasker, from Bath, Somerset, also revealed that the conviction this month is expected to coincide with a long-planned wedding celebration. 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 more than two years of planning, and it has turned into an absolute living nightmare. . Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST “We have accepted the fact that, without timely intervention from the FCDO (Office of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development), Jim will not be able to attend this ceremony.” Phyton is being held in Iraq for five weeks after being accused of trying to smuggle historical artifacts out of the country. His family said Phyton collected stones and broken pottery as souvenirs while visiting a site in Eridu, in the southeast, as part of an organized geology and archeology tour. However, they added that the items were deemed artifacts under Iraqi law and that the charge against Fitton stated that “anyone who intentionally exported or intended to export an antiquity from Iraq will be punished by execution.” His case in connection with the March incident is expected to be condemned this week, which begins 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.” 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. Wera Hobhouse, a Liberal Democrat MP from Bath, took the case to ministers in the House of Commons. 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. The proposal cites a “clear lack of crime, that Jim is a victim of mismanagement and circumstances, and also mentions the huge investment the UK has made in the Iraqi government and judiciary through FCDO funding in recent years.” A statement from the family said, “Leila has not seen Jim in more than two years due to travel restrictions. “We held a small Covid wedding in Bath last August for our close friends and family in Britain, especially by my side. “Since then, we have been planning a bigger party in Malaysia with all of Leila’s extended family. “This is scheduled for May 8. Obviously 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 planning for more than two years, and it has turned into an absolute nightmare. . » The Foreign Office said it provided consular support and was in contact with local authorities. In a letter to Hobhouse last week, Secretary of State Amanda Milling said: United Kingdom. opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle “.
