A retired British geologist is to be released from an Iraqi prison after his conviction for trying to smuggle artefacts was overturned, according to his family.
Jim Fitton, 66, was jailed for 15 years after collecting 12 stones and pieces of broken pottery as souvenirs while visiting a site in Eridu, in southeastern Iraq, as part of an organized geology and archeology tour.
Iraqi officials say the objects can be considered archaeological objects because they date back more than 200 years.
However, Mr Fitton’s family say they are “over the moon” after being told he has now been released.
Once he gets home we will celebrate and take some time to rebuild as a family and be happy to tell the story to anyone who will listen
Sam Tasker
Son-in-law Sam Tasker, 27, from Bath, Somerset, said in a statement: “For the first time since March 20, Layla, Josh, Sarija and I are smiling without irony.
“We have been informed this morning that the Court of Appeal has decided to overturn the trial court’s conviction, fully recognize Jim’s innocence in this case and process his immediate release from a 15-year prison sentence in Baghdad.
“We understand this process is ongoing – he is still in prison tonight but will be released soon.
“Once he’s home, we’ll celebrate and take some time to rebuild as a family, and we’ll be happy to tell the story to anyone who will listen.”
Fitton with his wife and daughter
(PA)
Mr Fitton, a father of two, lives in Malaysia with his wife Sarija.
Mr Tasker said the family “expect him to be home by the end of the week”, although a timetable remains unclear.
Vera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, hailed the “fantastic development” and said: “We can’t imagine the stress Jim and his family have endured over the last few months.
“Jim and his family have shown incredible strength and should be extremely proud of the role they played in pressuring the government to act. This has been an incredibly worrying period and the government needs to consider how to improve the way it responds to these cases in the first instance.
“It is a testament to the hard work of the consular team, Foreign Office staff and of course Jim’s family.”
A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are providing consular assistance to a British national in Iraq and continue to support his family. We are in contact with the local authorities.”
Mr Fitton was arrested at Baghdad airport on March 20 along with German tourist Volker Waldmann after airport security discovered the items in their luggage.
The pair told magistrates they had not acted with criminal intent, with Mr Fitton explaining he collected such fragments as a hobby.
Iraqi law states that the death penalty is a possible punishment, but Mr Fitton was later sentenced to 15 years in prison, while Mr Waldmann was freed.
Mr Fitton was initially held in an airport detention center following his arrest and has been in an Iraqi prison since the second week of June.
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