Lawyers call for release of Australian held in Iraq

MELBOURNE - The federal government must ensure the United States either charge a Melbourne man being held in Iraq or release him, the Law Council of Australia said today.

Iraqi-born Australian citizen Ahmed Aziz Rafiq was arrested by Kurdish forces in northern Iraq in February last year and was reportedly handed over to coalition forces for investigation as a terror suspect.

Law Council president John North said there were now reports US authorities were planning to release Mr Rafiq.

He called on the Australian government to make sure there was no further delay of Mr Rafiq's release.

"If Mr Rafiq was to be charged with any offence, whether relating to terrorism or other crimes, this should have happened ages ago," he said in a statement.

"The Australian government must press for his immediate release and repatriation to Australia."

Mr North said the Law Council had repeatedly approached the government about Mr Rafiq but had never had a meaningful answer as to why he had been detained in an overseas prison without charge for such a long time.

"Such treatment fails to meet the basic standards of justice employed in any fair minded society," he said.

"It seems this is yet another case where the Australian government has been willing to allow one of its own citizens to remain in legal limbo in an overseas jail."

- AAP