‘Losing hope’: Wife of Australian engineer detained in Iraq says he’s stopped talking about release

Robert Pether's wife says after being held for nearly 80 days with no charge, her husband will not engage in conversation about freedom

Australian engineer Robert Pether is losing hope he will be released from the crowded Iraqi jail where he has spent almost 80 days without charge, his wife says.

Pether was arrested 77 days ago after he travelled to Baghdad to try to resolve a dispute between his firm and Iraqi authorities about the construction of the central bank's new headquarters. Expecting to meet with officials from the Central Bank of Iraq, Pether and a colleague were instead arrested and initially held in isolation.