Family urge Iraq to free British man held over ancient pottery fragments

A British man arrested at Baghdad airport in late March in possession of pottery fragments that are alleged to be historical artifacts is being held in pre-trial detention, his family said on May 1.

Jim Fitton, a 66-year-old retired geologist, could face the death penalty under Iraqi law if convicted, his family has said in a petition on the Change.org online platform, calling for his release.

"He has been imprisoned for allegedly attempting to smuggle historical artifacts out of Iraq," the petition said.

His son-in-law Sam Tasker told AFP that "it is clearly a mistake, there is clearly no criminal intent."

"He is an elderly chap. We just want him home safe and sound," Tasker said on May 1.

Fitton arrived in Iraq on an organized tour on March 5. He was supposed to depart on March 20 to return home to Malaysia. But airport customs officers found fragments he had picked up at the Eridu archaeological site in southern Iraq, his family said.

The tour guides had told his father-in-law that the broken "shards of pottery and stones" had no economic or historical value and gave him the green light to take some home as a souvenir, Tasker told AFP.

A security source at Baghdad airport told AFP that Fitton was "the subject of an investigation" and would not be tried before its conclusion.

Proceedings could be delayed until after May 8 due to the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Laith Majid Hussein, director of the Iraqi council of antiquities and heritage, told AFP that Fitton was arrested in possession of "various pieces from archaeological sites."

A spokesperson for the British embassy in Baghdad said it was providing "consular support to a British national in Iraq...