Refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi will not be sent back to Bahrain after Thailand dropped extradition proceedings against him, a prosecutor said on Monday, ending a two-month detention ordeal that stirred global outcry.
Mr. Araibi, 25, a former Bahraini national youth team player, was granted refugee status in Australia after fleeing charges in the oil-rich kingdom connected to Arab Spring protests.
But he was stopped at Bangkok’s main airport at Bahrain’s request on November 27 as he arrived in Thailand for his honeymoon. He has been detained since in a Bangkok prison pending a court ruling on the extradition request from Bahrain.
Bahrain’s about turn
Monday brought a stunning about-turn from the Bahraini government, which withdrew the extradition request, said Chatchom Akapin, director-general of the International Affairs Department at the prosecutor’s office. “We have been informed that Bahrain wants to withdraw the (extradition) request... if they don’t want him, we have no reason to keep him here,” he said. The Thai Corrections Department chief said he had been released from Bangkok remand into the care of Immigration Police.
The Australian government had repeatedly called for Mr. Araibi’s return.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had also repeatedly pushed for Mr. Araibi’s release with his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-O-Cha, said on Monday that the footballer “is on his way to the airport” and thanked the Thai government for “listening to the issues” raised by Australia.
