Jim Fitton, jailed for 15 years in Iraq for alleged smuggling, will “soon be free”, his lawyer says.
Image source, ReutersAn Iraqi court has overturned the conviction of a British geologist wrongfully jailed for antiquities smuggling, his lawyer has said.
Thaer Saoud told AFP the conviction of Jim Fitton had been overturned by the Court of Cassation, adding “my client will soon be free”.
Mr Fitton, from Somerset, was jailed for 15 years after collecting stones and pottery shards during a tour.
The appeal against his conviction was started more than a month ago.
The father-of-two collected the souvenirs while on an organised tour at Eridu, in Iraq’s south east.
Iraqi officials said the items could be considered archaeological pieces as they date back more than 200 years.
Mr Fitton has repeatedly insisted he did not intend to smuggle the items and those on the tour were told the shards had no economic or historical value.
Arrested at airport
He and German tourist Volker Waldmann were arrested when the items were found in their possession as their group prepared to fly out of Baghdad airport on 20 March.
Mr Fitton, 66, was then held in an airport detention cell before being moved to prison shortly after sentencing on 6 June.
Image source, Jim Fitton
They were charged under a 2002 law against “intentionally taking or trying to take out of Iraq an antiquity”, which carries the maximum sentence of the death penalty.
Mr Waldmann was cleared after his defence team argued he had been carrying two pieces for Mr Fitton but did not pick them up from the site.
The court agreed to reduce Mr Fitton’s sentence because of his age.
His children, Joshua and Leila, from Bath, said he had “no knowledge” the items he took were of “historic significance”.
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