Canberra reiterates call for al-Araibi to be returned  to Australia

By The Nation

 

Bahraini soccer player with Australian refugee status Hakeem Al-Araibi (2-L) walks while escorted by Thai prison officers following an extradition hearing at the Criminal Court in Bangkok on Monday.// EPA-EFE PHOTO

 

Australia on Monday repeated its call that ex-Bahraini national footballer Hakeem al-Araibi, who faces a lengthy extradition process in Thailand, be returned to Australia as soon as possible on the grounds that he is a refugee and a permanent resident of that country.

 

The Bahraini government knew very well that al-Araibi had lived in Australia since 2014, Canberra said in a statement issued on behalf of the Australian ambassador to Thailand.

 

“During these four years, the Bahraini Government did not attempt to ask Australia about Hakeem at all or to request to send him back to Bahrain,” the statement said.

 

However, as soon as Hakeem and his wife travelled to Thailand for their honeymoon, the Bahraini government expedited its coordination with the Thai government to have Hakeem arrested and commence extradition proceedings immediately, it added.

 

“The actions of the Bahraini Government have put Thailand in a very difficult position. In particular, during what is an important year for the people and country of Thailand,” the statement read.

 

The statement was delivered to the media at the Criminal Court in Bangkok, where al-Araibi faces extradition proceedings.

 

“Hakeem is a loved football player for Pascoe Vale FC and has football fans across the country. We hope that Hakeem will be able to go back to be with his family and his wife in the coming days,” the statement said.

 

Al-Araibi, who has been in custody since November following Bahrain’s extradition request, on Monday arrived in court in chains and pleaded with reporters and football officials to help secure his freedom.

 

He was detained in November at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok en route to Australia after making a personal trip with his wife. 

 

Thai police arrested him at the request of the Bahraini government, which had accused him of alleged involvement in a criminal offence in his home country in 2014, and had warrants issued for his arrest. Al-Araibi was given asylum in Australia in 2017 after fleeing his home country.

 

The Criminal Court has agreed to consider the extradition request for him to face trial in Bahrain, but the process will be a lengthy one.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30363513

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-05

Angry Reaction As Court Punts Hakeem Case To April

By  Jintamas Saksornchai, Staff Reporter

 

Hakeem AlAraibi is led by police Monday at the Criminal Court in Bangkok.

 

BANGKOK — A refugee footballer who refused voluntary extradition Monday to Bahrain was told to appear in court again in April.

 

An outpouring of anger met the Criminal Court’s decision to give Hakeem AlAraibi until April 5 to file an appeal against extradition proceedings, with a hearing to follow on April 22. The decision not to immediately release the Bahraini national despite his refugee status in Australia prompted calls for sanctions.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2019/02/04/angry-reaction-as-court-punts-hakeem-case-to-april/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2019-02-05

"...A refugee footballer who refused voluntary extradition Monday to Bahrain was told to appear in court again in April..."

 

Yes, the best thing for this traumatized young man who has already gone through a harrowing process to reach Australia and begun to re-build a life is another couple of months in a foreign jail.

 

This is truly disgusting behaviour, Thailand.

 

Truly disgusting.

 

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The actions of the Bahraini Government have put Thailand in a very difficult position. In particular, during what is an important year for the people and country of Thailand,” the statement read.

and you know how this will end; yet another opportunity for thailand to protect it's 'international image' and they will surely muck it up and do the exact opposite of the 'right thing'

At least loan him out to Buriram football team while he's here

If they cannot let him free immidiately (which they should - no good reasons to act otherwise) 

why not let him free on bail - as they do with murderers?

 

And be prepared to pay him a handsome compensation

Edited February 5, 20197 yr by sweatalot

14 minutes ago, sweatalot said:

If they cannot let him free immidiately (which they should - no good reasons to act otherwise) 

why not let him free on bail - as they do with murderers?

 

And be prepared to pay him a handsome compensation

Same the Policeman in Phuket out on bail

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“The actions of the Bahraini Government have put Thailand in a very difficult position.

No it didn't. It's Thailand's actions that did.

Cite AlAraibi's official UN-Austrailia refugee status and simply send him back home to Australia.

But the junta seems to play to some ulterior goal that a humanitarian one.

Very unbecoming of the Chairman of ASEAN but consistent with a government that lost UN accreditation of Thailand's Human Rights Commission in 2015.

So the Thais are nothing but the henchman for the Bahrainis now?

If there was indeed an Interpol red notice out on him why was he not arrested when entering Thailand?

The above story states he was arrested while on his way back to Australia where he resided for 4 years but there was apparently no red notice out on him even though his whereabouts where known to anybody who wanted to know.

Did the Bahrainis wait until he travelled to an equally corrupt country than their own to act ?

Do they have any prove he committed a crime? Or do they just want him back because they know he can be tried and silenced by a Bahraini kangaroo court once they have him?

This story shows how corrupt countries can abuse the Interpol system at will and politically motivated arrest warrants are not screened if a red notice is warranted or not.

The opposite is the case in the Red Bull case and it shows how useless this system is.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

It is incredible that Thailand treat the guy as an international criminal shackling him in that primitive way.He is only accused of "vandalism" but of course there is a political element involved. 

Can the Thai government explains the difference between the recent case where the girl had neither a refugee status nor approved asylum  as in this case?????

WE DEMAND HIS IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION TO AUSTRALIA. 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The decision not to immediately release the Bahraini national despite his refugee status in Australia prompted calls for sanctions.

That should up the stakes. 

Cant wait to see the shit-storm Thailand is gonna be in soon

The EU as the self appointed watchdog of human rights takes particular interest in Thailand's HR record and performance; particularly in the fishing industry.

It is contingent upon Thailand to have an acceptable human rights record to obtaining a free trade agreement with the EU. 

The EU is certain to be watching this circus with a great deal of interest. The way things are shaping Thailand can kiss goodbye any chance of getting a FTA with the EU.

An inhumane Thai government shows how power and egos can overwhelm rationality. Stupid people!

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

This is truly disgusting behaviour, Thailand.

 

Truly disgusting.

What's truly disgusting is the way Australia normally treats refugees. Transported to concentration camps and denied medical treatment, the Australian Government looks for methods short of actual extermination, to get rid of them. On one occassion the Australian Navy stood by and literally watched refugees drown. If Bahrain didn't play sport, the rascist hypocrites in Canberra would do nothing. They would deport him to Bharain without a shadow of a doubt.

 

The Australians are being forced to take measures that they would prefer not to take and it could very well spiral into joint sanctions as Australia has some  reliable friends and allies.  The Thais are miscalculating if they think the Australians will back down. They got nads, even the sheilas got nads when it comes to taking on bullies.

5 minutes ago, simtemple said:

What's truly disgusting is the way Australia normally treats refugees. Transported to concentration camps and denied medical treatment, the Australian Government looks for methods short of actual extermination, to get rid of them. On one occassion the Australian Navy stood by and literally watched refugees drown. If Bahrain didn't play sport, the rascist hypocrites in Canberra would do nothing. They would deport him to Bharain without a shadow of a doubt.

 

Your comments are irrelevant and this has nothing to do with sport.

The circumstances are very different  in this case. The detained individual is a bonafide refugee with refugee status. He obtained his asylum by following the rules and by not jumping lines or in circumventing the law.  His case is very different from that of economic migrants  who attempted to illegally enter  Australia without any attempt to respect the refugee application process. This refugee has been a law abiding contributing member of society and has a   significantly different societal characteristic than  some of the  violent criminals you seek to compare him to.

Missing apparently from many of the comments is news that Interpol had cancelled the "Red Notice" before the arrest.

Double down on Thai official anti West thuggery, or ingratiating with Bahrain royals?

It seems his real crime was being brother to someone who is critical of the Bahrain royals.

Cue the overextended Thai statutes which seem to go far beyond the intent to protect the reputation of the royal family, or have I mistaken that situation?

4 hours ago, simtemple said:

What's truly disgusting is the way Australia normally treats refugees. Transported to concentration camps and denied medical treatment, the Australian Government looks for methods short of actual extermination, to get rid of them. On one occassion the Australian Navy stood by and literally watched refugees drown. If Bahrain didn't play sport, the rascist hypocrites in Canberra would do nothing. They would deport him to Bharain without a shadow of a doubt.

 

 That's a different story.

 

This thread is about the football guy, focus please.

 

 

4 hours ago, simtemple said:

What's truly disgusting is the way Australia normally treats refugees. Transported to concentration camps and denied medical treatment, the Australian Government looks for methods short of actual extermination, to get rid of them. On one occassion the Australian Navy stood by and literally watched refugees drown. If Bahrain didn't play sport, the rascist hypocrites in Canberra would do nothing. They would deport him to Bharain without a shadow of a doubt.

 

What a crock of kee

This is a good bellwether for just how much in love the junta is with the other 3rd world shitholes.

19 hours ago, webfact said:

However, as soon as Hakeem and his wife travelled to Thailand for their honeymoon, the Bahraini government expedited its coordination with the Thai government to have Hakeem arrested and commence extradition proceedings immediately, it added.

thailand will behave predicatably, international black-eye coming; quite good at it really