Hakeem al-Araibi pleads against extradition

Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi has been given 60 days to prepare a defense against Bahrain’s attempt to extradite him from Thailand.

The 25-year-old will remain in a Thai prison for more than two months after a judge denied him bail and gave his lawyers until 5 April to file a written appeal before the next scheduled hearing on 22 April.

Al-Araibi, who had been playing in Australia after being granted asylum there, was arrested in Thailand when he arrived with his wife on a honeymoon.

He is wanted in Bahrain, where he was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in jail for vandalizing a police station.

Al-Araibi says he is innocent and that he was tortured in Bahrain for his political opposition.

Al-Araibi arrived at Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek criminal court on Monday morning shackled and barefoot with more than a dozen other prisoners. He was flanked by a guard at each arm and several more behind him.

He shouted, “don’t send me to Bahrain”. Supporters shouted back: “Australia is with you” and “Your wife sends her love”.

His appearance on Monday marked the formal beginning of proceedings after Bahrain’s extradition request was formally accepted for consideration on Friday.

In court, Al-Araibi stood as the judge read out Bahrain’s allegations against him. He told the court he refused to be extradited.

Al-Araibi told the judge the charges against him were politically motivated, and that he feared persecution for religious reasons and for seeking asylum in Australia.

Thai authorities made the arrest on the basis of an Interpol red notice which was issued against the agency’s own policies, which dictate they can’t be issued against refugees on behalf of the countries they fled.

Within days the red notice was lifted, but Thai authorities instead pointed to an extradition request by Bahrain.