Thai court extends detention of Bahraini soccer player
Dissident Bahraini soccer player Hakeem al-Araibi says he would face torture if extradited to Bahrain.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Times; background-color: #77bb41} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; background-color: #77bb41; min-height: 17.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} A Thai court ruled Dec. 11 that a Bahraini refugee soccer player must remain in detention for a further 60 days, bringing him a step closer to extradition and likely torture back home, rights groups charge.
Thailand’s immigration department will use the period to prepare his return to Bahrain.
On Sunday, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Paye demanded the “immediate return” of Hakeem al-Araibi, who was granted refugee status in her country in 2014.
Araibi, who was detained Nov. 27 upon landing at Bangkok Airport, insists that if extradited he would face torture in Bahrain as he did back in 2012 when he was imprisoned alongside many others during a crackdown on Arab Spring-inspired protests against the nation's Sunni rulers.
