A retired British geologist has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being accused of trying to smuggle broken pottery from Iraq.
Jim Fitton was detained in March after 12 pieces of pottery from a monument in southern Iraq were found in his luggage.
The 66-year-old’s sentence on Monday shocked a Baghdad court, according to the Associated Press.
“I thought the worst-case scenario would be one year, with the repeal,” said Fitton’s lawyer, Thair Soud, who was visibly shocked by the decision. He added that he would appeal the sentence.
Sam Tasker, Mr. Fitton’s son-in-law, said: “We are absolutely shocked by this news. For a man the age of Jim, 15 years in an Iraqi prison is tantamount to the death penalty. Especially for such a trivial and dubious crime – a crime that Jim didn’t even know about when he committed it.
“We are completely disappointed that our own efforts, strong legal protections and ongoing campaign have led to this result.
Judge Jabir Abd Jabir said he said Mr Fitton had shown criminal intent to smuggle items out of Iraq after taking them to Eridu, an ancient Mesopotamian site in DiCar province. Under the country’s antiquities law, he could have been sentenced to death for the crime.
The judge disregarded the defense’s argument that Mr. Fitton was unaware of Iraqi law.
During the trial, Mr Fitton emphasized that he did not know that taking the piece was a crime because “there were fences, no guards or signs”. The defendant added that he usually collected pottery during his travels and did not intend to sell the pieces.
“These places, by name and by definition, are ancient sites. It is not necessary to say that it is forbidden, “said Judge Jabir Abd Jabir.
Mr. Fitton then claimed that the fragments were “no bigger than my fingernail”. “Size doesn’t matter,” the judge replied.
German citizen Walker Waldmann was also tried for smuggling, but will be released after his acquittal. His defense team claims that he carried the pieces for Mr. Fitton and did not take them himself.
Jim Fitton (center) and Walker Waldman (right) stand trial in Baghdad on May 22
(Reuters)
Mr Fitton and Mr Waldman were arrested at Baghdad airport on 20 March after airport security guards found items in their luggage.
They took part in a tourist expedition around the ancient sites of the country. Their case has received international attention at a time when Iraq hopes to boost its nascent tourism sector.
Mr Fitton’s family has accused the British government of not doing enough to help his case. “We appeal and will continue to fight for Jim’s freedom and call on the government to support us in every way possible and to open lines of communication with us at the highest level,” said his son-in-law, Mr Tasker.
Speaking after Mr Fitton’s sentence, Wera Hobhouse, the family’s local MP, said: “This is obviously a devastating outcome for Jim and his family. Now there is no other option but for the foreign minister to intervene at the ministerial level.
“The foreign minister must make representations to the Iraqi government. This is another example of the British government leading a case of a British citizen in distress abroad, and they have failed to take action.
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