Australian soccer player Hakeem al-Araibi has begged a Thai court not to be sent to Bahrain.
The 25-year-old who was granted refugee status in Australia will spend at least two more months detained in Thailand after a court today set an extradition hearing for April.
Al-Araibi has been openly critical of his birthplace Bahrain, which has requested his extradition. He arrived at the courthouse in Bangkok wearing beige prison uniform, with shackles on his feet. “Don’t send me to Bahrain,” said the footballer, who was arrested in Thailand in November while on his honeymoon and says he faces persecution and torture if he’s extradited to Bahrain.
The court gave the defence team until April 5 to submit documents opposing the extradition, and set April 22 for a preliminary hearing of witnesses and evidence, said defence lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman.
Al-Araibi, who fled Bahrain in 2014 before being granted permanent residence in Australia, where he played for Melbourne’s Pascoe Vale soccer club, was arrested on an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain’s request. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and soccer’s world governing body, FIFA have appealed to Thailand to release al-Araibi back to Australia on the grounds he could face torture in Bahrain.
A Thai prosecutor submitted the Bahraini extradition request to the court last week, saying it showed al-Araibi had committed criminal wrongdoing and so should be extradited.
Supporters say that al-Araibi, as a recognised refugee, should be released and sent back to Australia instead.
