SYDNEY: Human rights groups and former football players have called on Fifa and the Australian government to intervene to stop a Melbourne-based refugee and semi-professional footballer from being extradited from Thailand to Bahrain.
Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, a former member of Bahrain's national team, was granted refugee status in Australia last year after fleeing his homeland.
But he was arrested while on holiday in Thailand with his wife on Nov 27, based on an Interpol notice in which Bahrain sought his arrest for allegedly vandalising a police station.
At a news conference on Saturday, former Australia captain Craig Foster and Amnesty International lawyer Diana Sayed called on Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, plus Fifa and other football organisations to stop Thailand from extraditing al-Araibi.
The Criminal Court on Dec 11 approved the detention of al-Araibi for a further 60 days, while prosecutors seek more information from Bahrain to support a request for extradition.
Al-Araibi is accused in his country of carrying out an arson attack that endangered lives and property. He was also accused of taking part in an illegal assembly, using force to commit crimes and causing a public disturbance.
His lawyer, Natthasiri Bergman, has challenged his detention, arguing that he was arrested unlawfully and there
Thailand does not have an extradition treaty with Bahrain, although both countries can still engage in the process by special arrangement.
Thai officials insist they are following the law in holding al-Araibi, but rights groups suggest he should not have been detained because of his refugee status, and that international law to which Thailand is a party bars sending him to Bahrain if he has a legitimate fear of persecution and torture.
In a statement earlier this month, Fifa urged that al-Araibi should be returned to Australia “at the earliest possible moment”.
“We know the history of human rights violations in Bahrain and so it makes Hakeem's case and current detention in Thailand even more important for the international community, and for (the) Australian football federation and others to stand behind him at his time because there is a very real risk that he could be extradited back to Bahrain,” said Sayed.
While Payne has previously called for al-Araibi to be released, Foster said she should visit Thailand to “lend her personal and direct support” and to meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to discuss the matter.
Al-Araibi has been publicly critical of the Bahrain royal family's alleged involvement in sports scandals. He also has alleged he was blindfolded and had his legs beaten while he was held in Bahrain in 2012 after taking part in protests.
He said he believed he was targeted for arrest because of his Shia faith and because his brother was politically active in Bahrain. Bahrain has a Shia majority but is ruled by a Sunni monarchy, and has a reputation for harsh repression since the failed Arab Spring uprising there in 2011.