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Melbourne-based refugee footballer Hakeem AlAraibi will face 60 more days in a Thai prison after his request for bail was rejected.
Key points:
- Hakeem AlAraibi will remain in a Thai prison after his bail application was rejected
- He was arrested in Thailand in December for allegedly vandalising a police station in Bahrain
- He is recognised as a refugee in Australia after fleeing Bahrain five years ago
Bound by leg-irons and wearing a faded orange prison T-shirt, AlAraibi shuffled into a Bangkok court pleading not to be returned to Bahrain, the country he fled five years ago.
“Please don’t send me to Bahrain. Bahrain won’t defend me,” he shouted to Australian journalists as Thai prison guards held him by the arms and marched him into the criminal court precinct.
Former Socceroo Craig Foster, who was in court to support him, responded: “Hakeem, your wife sends her love. Hakeem, Australia is with you buddy. Hey, we’re with you.”
Recognised by Australia as a refugee, AlAraibi has been playing semi-professional football in Victoria.
In December, he went with his wife to Thailand on his honeymoon and was arrested on a red notice from Interpol issued by Bahrain.
Bahrain has accused him of vandalising a police station — charges he has denied, and said were politically motivated.
Supporters start #SaveHakeem campaign
Foster has been spearheading an international support network of high-profile footballers including Gary Lineker, Robbie Fowler and Didier Drogba, who have called for AlAraibi’s return to Australia.
“Well certainly we’ve been in touch with Hakeem’s wife very regularly throughout and she’s extremely depressed as everyone would be aware,” Foster said before the hearing began.
“She’s asked us to convey her love and support for him. We were hoping that would at least be able to see him here [outside the court] and that’s small comfort for us, but not for Hakeem.
“He never should have been here. Then the idea was [the Thais] should just let him [go] home. The whole red notice was lifted. Then all of a sudden no. Bahrain are exerting pressure. I think people underestimated that relationship.
“There was supposed to be a determination of politically motivated charges, which the rest of the world clearly know it is.
“All of a sudden, it’s rushed into court on Monday so we can’t apply and be inside court. Now we’re here and we don’t know if the appropriate processes are going to be applied or whether an executive discretion [from Thailand’s Attorney-General to drop the extradition case] will apply.”
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