Refugee footballer will not be extradited to Bahrain: prosecutor

Refugee footballer Dr. al-Araibi won't be sent back to Bahrain after Kingdom of Thailand dropped surrender proceedings against him on the Gulf State’s request, a prosecutor said Monday.

But was stopped in Thailand in November attempting to travel on his honeymoon. Since then, he has been detained in a capital of Thailand prison unfinished a court ruling over the extradition request from the Bahraini government — a move the footballer has pleaded against as he fears torture if came back.

Monday brought a stunning about-turn from the Bahraini government, that withdrew the extradition request, said Chatchom Akapin, Director-General of the world affairs Department at the prosecutor’s workplace. “We have been educated that Bahrain wants to withdraw the (extradition) request…. if they don’t want him, we have no reason to keep him here,” he told afp. Chatchom added  that the process to unharness Araibi is under means.

Also read: Naomi Joseph Campbell, 48, and 'new flame' Liam Payne, 25  attend Vogue BAFTA party amidst romance rumours

The Australian government has repeatedly called for Araibi’s come and the case has become a incident in the soccer world, with FIFA also urging the Thai premier to intervene. football Federation Australia (FFA) last week off the under-23 men’s national team plans to hold a coaching camp in Thailand earlier than the AFC U23 Championship qualifiers next month.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had also repeatedly pushed for his unharness, saying that he had written letters to his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-O-Cha and stressed “how strongly Australians feel regarding this”. The Gulf state’s reversal of the extradition request is stunning. only last week it issued a statement defensive its decision to pursue Araibi after he fled whereas awaiting trial.

He was convicted in absentia in 2014 for damaging a station house. but Araibi says the case is imitative and tied to his criticism of Asian football Confederation (AFC) president sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, a member of Bahrain’s ruling family.

Share: