THERAN: An Australian engineer serving a prison sentence in Iraq has written a letter to his family from behind bars, The Guardian reported on Monday, warning that he could face a "death sentence" for untreated skin cancer. may have to.

Robert Pether warned he "won't come home" after being imprisoned in Iraq last year because of a contract dispute involving his architecture firm's work in a new Central Bank building there.

The 47-year-old had previously defeated skin cancer in 2005 and, before his arrest, had gone for regular check-ups to keep an eye on his health.

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However, Pether cautioned in the letter that prison officials, including a dermatologist who had been brought in for advice, disregarded the development of a new lesion on her ear, the same area as a previous melanoma.

In June, when the wound began to change rapidly, he informed the jail authorities. However, one dermatologist advised using only peter topical cream, which never showed up.

In his letter, he said, "Time is running out and I have a small window of opportunity - certainly less time than I am in prison."

"How do you explain that her father won't return home to a young girl who likes unicorns and cats?

How do you explain to your kids that while you're proud of them, you won't share in their life's successes (and failures)?

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The hardest part is how to convey the news to your wife, who is essentially half of you, that you won't be spending the rest of your life together.

From the moment I wake up and sit on the cell floor for the first count of the day and the last thing at night when I look at pictures of my family on the wall next to my bed, these are the questions I currently I argue every day.

Miracles can (and do) happen, so hope is not abandoned. However, the outlook for me and my family right now is gloomy. In an effort to help Pether, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appealed to his Iraqi counterpart Mustafa al-Kadhimi earlier this year.

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According to a spokesman for the Australian Foreign Ministry, the Australian government continues to advocate for Mr Peter in the strongest terms and at the highest levels.

In a report on Peter's detention published in March, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention warned that it was "arbitrary" and "a violation of international law". They demanded his immediate and unrestricted release.