'Our children miss their dad,' says wife of Irish citizen Yasser Eljuboori 'detained' in Iraq

Yasser Eljuboori and his wife, Laura Wickham. Picture: Laura Wickham

An Irish citizen has reportedly been detained in Iraq while travelling back to Ireland.

Yasser Eljuboori, an anti-corruption advocate originally from Iraq, was illegally detained in Baghdad while travelling back to Ireland, according to his family.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance but declined to comment further.

The father-of-three was detained at Baghdad International Airport on Monday, February 26 at 2.30am Irish time, his wife Laura Wickham confirmed.

She said that no official reason was given for his detention initially and Mr Eljuboori was not permitted to contact his family.

Around 16 hours from when he was first detained, his family found out that Mr Eljuboori was being held at a police station in Baghdad and would appear in court on Tuesday morning.

Still, neither Mr Eljuboori or his family were given any specific details about what, if any, criminal charges he was facing, or what the basis for his detention was.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Wickham said that he is being targeted due to his important anti-corruption work.

"Yasser is the life and soul of our household: a much-loved husband and dad to our three children," she said.

"Our children are young and they miss their dad. He is in prison thousands of miles away for no good reason."

The couple have three children aged five, four and two years old.

Mr Eljuboori has entered Iraq as an Irish citizen, with an Irish passport, to visit his mother and was returning home to Ireland when he was detained.

Ms Wickham has obtained the services of specialist international lawyers to act on her behalf - Caoilfhionn Gallagher and Tatyana Eatwell.

In a statement, Ms Gallagher said that Mr Eljuborri has a proud history of holding Iraq's leaders to account and raising corruption and human rights concerns.

"It is very troubling that he is now imprisoned, with no clear information about the legal basis for his detention," she said.

"Given grave concerns recently raised by the United Nations regarding prison conditions in Iraq and flagrant disregard for fair trial rights, this case could not be more urgent."

Ms Gallagher called for his immediate and unconditional release while Mr Eljuboori's family have launched the #FreeYasser campaign.

It is believed Mr Eljuboori will appear in court again on Thursday.