British geologist jailed in Iraq

Authorities said they could be considered archaeological pieces because they date back more than 200 years, and he was arrested alongside a German tourist ...

"We are absolutely shattered by this news. “This is yet another example of the British Government presiding over a case of a British national in trouble abroad and they have failed to take action.” Mr Fitton’s son-in-law, Sam Tasker, said the 66-year-old’s jail term was “tantamount to a death sentence” and said the British Government had engaged in a "total lack of action in this case to date".

Jim Fitton, 66 and originally from Bath, has been sentenced to 15 years in an Iraqi prison | ITV News West Country.

Waldmann was acquitted of the same charges. Fitton's lawyer said he would appeal the verdict on the grounds that there was no criminal intent. He said that as a geologist he was in the habit of collecting such fragments as a hobby and had no intention of selling them.

Jim Fitton was sentenced to 15 years in prison at a court in Baghdad on Monday.

“This is yet another example of the British Government presiding over a case of a British national in trouble abroad and they have failed to take action.” “We are raising an appeal and will continue to fight for Jim’s freedom, and urge the Government to support us in every way possible and to open lines of communication with us at a senior level.” He also lambasted the UK Government for what he said was their “total lack of action in this case to date”. For a man of Jim’s age, 15 years in an Iraqi prison is tantamount to a death sentence,” Mr Tasker said. he family of a retired British geologist have said they are “shattered” and “heartbroken” by the news he has been jailed by an Iraqi court for 15 years and vowed to keep fighting for his freedom. Jim Fitton was sentenced at a court in Baghdad on Monday for attempting to smuggle artefacts out of the country, despite arguing he had no idea he was breaking Iraqi laws.

Jim Fitton, 66, is sentenced to 15 years for attempting to smuggle 12 stones and broken pottery.

"There is now no other option but for the Foreign Secretary to intervene at a ministerial level. They urged the government to help free him. The court decided to reduce the sentence "because of the advanced age of the accused," the judge said. When Judge Jabir Abd Jabir asked Mr Fitton why he tried to take the artefacts out of Iraq, he cited his "hobby" and said he did not mean to do anything illegal. "For a man of Jim's age, 15 years in an Iraqi prison is tantamount to a death sentence," the family added. The family of Mr Fitton said they were "absolutely shattered" and "heartbroken" by the news.

A retired British geologist has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being accused of attempting to smuggle broken pottery out of Iraq.

“The foreign secretary must make representations to the Iraqi government. Mr Fitton’s family has accused the British government of not doing enough to help his case. Judge Jabir Abd Jabir said that in his view, Mr Fitton had demonstrated criminal intent to smuggle the items out of Iraq after picking them up at Eridu, an ancient Mesopotamian site in the Dhi Qar governorate. For a man of Jim’s age, 15 years in an Iraqi prison is tantamount to a death sentence. Particularly for such a trivial and dubious crime – a crime that Jim was not even aware of when he perpetrated it. “I thought the worst-case scenario would be one year, with suspension,” said Mr Fitton’s lawyer Thair Soud, who was visibly shocked by the decision.

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The ministers have failed to engage with Jim’s family and they have set a dangerous precedent for British citizens who are in trouble abroad.” It beggars belief that this sentence has been passed.” The family have urged the British government to “to support us in every way possible and to open lines of communication with us at a senior level.” Waldmann denied that the shards were his and has been found not guilty and is set to be released. Fitton argued that he did not know he was doing anything illegal and the stones and pieces of ceramics were collected for a personal “hobby.” The 66-year-old, who was visiting Iraq on an archeological tourist holiday, was found to be in possession of 12 stones and shards of pottery.

A British former oil and gas geologist has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of trying smuggle artefacts out of Iraq.

Fitton’s lawyer said he intends to appeal against the sentence immediately. But any item less than 1,500 years old disqualifies it from being from antiquity, a period from the beginnings of Western civilization to about 450 AD. A report by the Iraqi Culture Ministry stated they were over 200 years old, without offering any further explanation about their provenance. Fitton said as a geologist he was in the habit of collecting such fragments as a hobby and had no intention to sell them. Judge Jabir Abd Jabir found that, according to the government’s investigation, Fitton had criminal intent to smuggle the artefacts that he had picked up and intended to transport them out of the country. A British former oil and gas geologist has been sentenced by an Iraqi court to 15 years in prison after being convicted of attempting to smuggle artefacts out of the country.