ALBAWABA - The 66-year-old British geologist Jim Fitton is trending on the social media. Why? He has been charged by an Iraqi court of smuggling artefacts and sentenced to 15 years.
The social media is covering the story.
"Jim Fitton, 66, who is originally from Bath, collected 12 stones and shards of broken pottery during a recent geology and archaeology tour of the country. Mr Fitton has insisted he had no idea he was breaking Iraqi laws." To be fair is entirely possible he didn't know
— ThatGuy (@Dewane80562382) June 6, 2022
The Daily Mail is covering the story. It starting by writing a British retired geologist will spend 15 years in an Iraqi jail after he was convicted of trying to smuggle antique pottery. He was found guilty of intending to take the 200-year-old artefacts out of Baghdad last March.
The Iraqi judge had this to say: Judge Jabir Abd Jabir found that, by picking up the items and intending to transport them out of the country, Fitton had criminal intent to smuggle them and his son-in-law Sam Tasker, said this morning: 'We are absolutely shattered by this news...and a 15 years in an Iraqi prison is tantamount to a death sentence," he was reported as saying.
Brit krijgt in Irak 15 jaar cel voor smokkel scherven van kunstvoorwerpen.https://t.co/E2XYHr5xgt
— NL Nieuws (@NieuwsNu123) June 6, 2022
In Irak is een Britse man veroordeeld tot 15 jaar cel vanwege het smokkelen van scherven van eeuwenoude kunstvoorwerpen.
De gepensioneerde geoloog Jim Fitton had dit voorj... pic.twitter.com/Xg8n556ZtZ
Mr Tasker added: 'We are completely heartbroken that our own best efforts, a strong legal defence and constant campaigning have led to this outcome. We are disappointed, indeed stunned, at our own government’s total lack of action in this case to date.
He continued to tell the London daily: '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.
Jim Fitton: British geologist jailed for 15 years for trying to smuggle artefacts out of Iraq https://t.co/NpIPWb7cMX
— Abdul Wahid (@Abdul248Abdul) June 6, 2022
Volker Waldman, a German national, was arrested alongside Mr Fitton in Baghdad on March 20 but it is thought that he will be released soon.
Jim Fitton's family say the verdict for the 66-year-old is "tantamount to a death sentence" #JimFitton #Bath https://t.co/0aQOBbtTJb
— Hits Radio Bristol and The South West (@HitsBristol) June 6, 2022
Fitton's family grew worried when he did not arrive on a scheduled flight back to Kuala Lumpur, where he resides with his wife reports the Daily Mail.
The name of Fitton has continued to trend on the social media especially after the devastating sentence broke out now under the hashtag of (#Iraq #UK #JimFitton #Bath).
Jim Fitton's lawyer said he was shocked by the verdict, and length of sentence https://t.co/o4gKZdFwBp
— Caroline Hawley (@carolinehawley) June 6, 2022
Father-of-two Fitton collected 12 stones and shards of broken pottery as souvenirs while visiting an ancient site in Eridu, southern Iraq, as part of an archaeology tour. His stunned lawyer expected the sentence to be a maximum of one year behind bars - and a suspended sentence the newspaper added.
Mr Soud said he intents to appeal the sentence immediately but it is not clear if Fitton can serve out his sentence in his home country with the newspaper speculating this would require a bilateral agreement between Iraq and the UK.
The case garnered attention when, frustrated by perceived inaction on the part of the British Foreign Office to intervene and assist in Fitton's case, his family started a petition that has garnered more than 100,000 signatures but the British diplomatic mission in Baghdad has not commented on its involvement in the case.
