95,000 people sign petition to save British dad from death penalty in Iraq

Retired British geologist Jim Fitton pictured together with his spouse Sarijah Fitton earlier than his arrest (Image: PA)

Ministers are underneath strain to assist a retired British geologist dealing with the dying penalty in Iraq over smuggling allegations.

A petition urging the launch of father-of-two Jim Fitton, 66, has obtained nearly 100,000 signatures in simply three days.

His daughter Leila and her husband Sam Tasker, from Bathtub, in Somerset, have now revealed his sentencing this month will coincide with their wedding ceremony.

They mentioned: ‘There's by no means a superb time for one thing like this to occur however we're one week away from what needs to be the happiest day of our lives, and the fruits of greater than two years of planning, and it’s been became an absolute dwelling nightmare.

‘We now have accepted the truth that, with out well timed intervention from the FCDO (International, Commonwealth and Growth Workplace), Jim will likely be unable to attend this ceremony too.’

Mr Fitton has been detained in Iraq for 5 weeks after being accused of making an attempt to smuggle historic artefacts in a foreign country.

His household mentioned Mr Fitton collected stones and shards of damaged pottery as souvenirs whereas visiting a website in Eridu, within the nation’s south-east, as a part of an organised geology and archaeology tour.

However they added the objects have been judged to be artefacts underneath Iraqi regulation and the cost levelled at Mr Fitton states ‘whoever exported or supposed to export, intentionally, an antiquity, from Iraq, shall be punishable with execution’.

Jim Fitton pictured together with his spouse Sarijah and his daughter Leila, who's preventing to free her father (Image: PA)

His case in reference to the March incident is predicted to go for sentencing within the week starting Could 8.

Mr Fitton’s household described the response to the petition as ‘unbelievable’, including in an announcement: ‘Jim actually appreciates the help from previous colleagues, good associates, kindred spirits, and full strangers who haven't allowed this to go unnoticed.

‘We'll proceed to combat whereas we proceed to have you ever at our backs.’

Mr Fitton labored as a geologist for oil and gasoline firms throughout his profession and lives in his adopted residence of Malaysia together with his spouse, Sarijah.

Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bathtub, has raised his case with ministers within the Home of Commons.

The household mentioned their lawyer has drafted a proposal underneath Iraqi regulation to have the case closed earlier than trial however they want the International Workplace to ‘put their weight behind the plan’.

Minister Amanda Milling, in a letter to Ms Hobhouse, mentioned final week: ‘We perceive the urgency of the case, and have already raised our considerations with the Iraqi authorities relating to the doable imposition of the dying penalty in Mr Fitton’s case and the UK’s opposition to the dying penalty in all circumstances as a matter of precept.’

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