Latest news with #SPEHA
CNN
30-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
American detained in Belarus is freed, US official says
An American detained in Belarus has been freed, a US official said Wednesday. Youras Ziankovich was arrested in Moscow in 2021 and then was brought to Belarus's capital Minsk, where he was accused of being part of a US-backed coup plot against Belarus' strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko. The US State Department denied any such involvement. There was not a prisoner swap that led to Ziankovich's release, the official said. According to Global Reach, an organization that advocated for his case, Ziankovich did not have access to US officials until January 2025. 'I knew this day would come. It took 1,480 days, but he survived and is on his way home to me and to America,' Alena Dzenisavets, his wife, said. 'I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Special Envoy Boehler and the SPEHA staff. I also want to express my appreciation to Rep. Morgan Luttrell and the nonprofits Global Reach and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation for their help advocating for Youras.' This story is breaking and will be updated.
Irish Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Fears grow for Irish family's dad in Iraq jail hospitalised 3 times in a week
Innocent 'hostage' Robert Pether, who was jailed in Iraq on fraud charges, was found to have an enlarged prostate after he was hospitalised three times in a week. His distraught family in Ireland revealed Rob, who previously had melanoma skin cancer, has a prostate that is 'three times (the) normal size' and that he also has gallstones. Construction engineer Rob, 49, who is married to Desree Pether, 53, from Roscommon, has been locked up since April 2021. He was jailed over four years ago in a €20 million contract row between his Dubai-based employer and the Central Bank of Iraq. Several high-profile figures, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Dáil TD Claire Kerrane and former senator Eugene Murphy, have vowed to help secure his release. Rob's worried wife has now sent an urgent appeal to the Iraqi embassy in Dublin and urged Iraq to 'let him go'. She told the Irish Mirror the threat to his health is 'very serious'. Desree said: 'He has been to the hospital three times in the past week. He is in pain and he can barely walk. His prostate is enlarged and is three times (the) normal size. He also has gallstones.' Gallstones can cause a blockage in the pancreatic duct and lead to inflammation of the pancreas and pancreatic cancer. Desree said: 'Gallstones can be dangerous. If they block a duct when Rob cannot get to the hospital quickly, it could be very serious. Surgery for Robert is dangerous, given the risk of infection for someone so sick. He has excruciating lung pain.' She added: 'There is a UN report published March 2022 and three international court rulings that state that he and his employer are completely innocent. He is being held hostage." Her husband was originally convicted of fraud, based on accusations made by Iraq against his Dubai-based employer. Rob, who is from Australia but his home is Elphin in Roscommon, applied for Irish citizenship before he was sentenced to four years in prison. Several attempts to appeal his case in court were blocked in Iraq and he was refused release when his four-year term expired on January 8 past. Instead, he was hit with fresh charges, including allegations of money laundering, which he denies. America's special presidential envoy for hostage affairs (SPEHA) last week posted online to call for Rob's release. A spokesperson for SPEHA said: "We stand with our Australian partners in calling for the release of Robert Pether, following the end of his custodial sentence. We hope to see him reunited with his family as soon as possible."
