LAST UPDATE | 29 Feb

THE CHARGES AGAINST an Irish-Iraqi man being held in Iraq are being dropped, but authorities have retained his passport, according to the man’s family.

Lawyers for Yasser Eljuboori described how there had been an “agonising” four days of “unjust and arbitrary detention” since he was detained earlier this week .

They added that the situation remains dangerous for Eljuboori as safe passage from Baghdad to Ireland has not yet been guaranteed.

Eljuboori, originally from Iraq and an Irish citizen, is a prominent anti-corruption blogger and activist who frequently criticises the Iraqi government.

The father-of-three was detained at Baghdad airport last Monday, and later brought to a court where he was remanded in custody with no explanation given for his continued detention.

According to a statement released today by lawyers working with his family, the charges against Eljuboori have now been dropped and he has been released on bail.

It follows a court appearance this morning in Baghdad.

However, Eljuboori’s family said that Iraqi authorities have retained his passport and he has been informed that there are “two to three days of paperwork” to complete before he will be allowed to leave the country and return home to his family in Dublin.

Speaking this morning from her home in Balgriffin in Dublin, Eljuboori’s wife Laura Wickham said that it was a “step in the right direction” but feared that there remains a long road ahead to bring her husband home.

“It is wonderful news that the charges have been dropped, but I will not stop campaigning until Yasser is safely home in Dublin Airport,” she said.

I call on the Iraqi authorities to return Yasser’s passport urgently, end this ordeal and allow him to return home.

Wickham paid thanks to the Tánaiste and the Department of Foreign Affairs for the support on the case.

“But now I call upon them to keep the pressure up and make clear to the Iraqi authorities that this case is not over until Yasser is safely home in Ireland,” Wickham said.

Speaking to The Journal today, Laura Wickham said she finally had a chance to speak to her husband. 

“I had a quick chat with him,” she said, adding that he is “very tired, very emotional and was somewhat relieved.

“So we’re done just trying to this last little push to get him back.”

In a statement this afternoon, Tanaiste Micheál Martin said he welcomed the decision to drop the charges against Eljuboori. 

Martin said he hopes today’s developments “will go some way towards alleviating the stress” that the family has experienced. 

“But I understand that their deep worry will not ease until the moment they are reunited with Yasser in Dublin,” he said. 

The Tánaiste said he had an “open and constructive” call with Dr Fuad Hussein, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq, regarding Eljuboori’s case. 

“Dr Hussein subsequently advised me that he had raised the case at the highest level and was confident that Mr Eljuboori would be released following the waiving of charges against him,” Martin said. 

He said officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy in Jordan “remain actively involved on this case and will continue to provide consular assistance until Mr Eljuboori is reunited with his family in Dublin”. 

My statement on the case of Irish citizen Yasser Eljuboori. pic.twitter.com/WpJZMb8qvH

— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) February 29, 2024

In a statement earlier, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, counsel for Wickham, added said that while Eljuboori has been released from custody, he should “never have been arrested, detained or charged” in the first place.

His family should never have been put through this ordeal.

Gallagher, an Irish-born barrister at London human rights firm Doughty Street Chambers, called on the Iraqi authorities to ensure he is now able to leave the country safely and speedily.

She said the firm has asked the Irish government and the Department of Foreign Affairs, the European Union External Action Service and the United Nations Special Procedures to seek assurances from the Iraqi authorities on the case.

‘Danger point’

Gallagher added that the family needs confirmation that Eljuboori will “face no further impediments” and be allowed safe passage from Baghdad.

“Regrettably we know from other cases that this is a danger point for Yasser, as there are continuing risks to him whilst he remains in Iraq,” she said.

“It is imperative that the Iraqi authorities know the world will continue to watch their actions until Yasser lands safely in Dublin Airport.”

Speaking to RTÉ’s Drivetime programme this evening, Gallagher said she hopes that Eljuboori will be on a plane to Dublin on Sunday.

“The charges have been dropped. There is no good reason for his Irish passport to still be retained. He should be on a plane today. But they’re setting up this… hoop that has to be jumped through before he can actually get out,” she said.

“The weekend in Iraq is Friday and Saturday. It’s now outside business hours. So the next step which is going to be taken is on Sunday, his local legal team in Iraq and Yasser will be returning to court to seek the return of his passport, the return of his belongings, and we hope we can get him on the plane on Sunday, and he can come home.”

Gallagher said this case is “very embarrassing” for Iraq, who are seeking election to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

“There’s a fundamental mismatch between the image that Iraq is trying to present to the world in Geneva at the moment that it’s human rights compliant, and what it’s done to Yasser. That’s part of the reason why we think the charges were dropped today.

“If we do not get Yasser on a plane, and back in Ireland at the start of next week, we will call Iraq’s bluff and we will be going to Geneva to the UN Human Rights Council to call on states in the United Nations to hold Iraq to account for what it’s doing to an Irish citizen.”

Contains reporting by David Mac Redmond and Hayley Halpin