Hakeem al-Araibi: Football Federation Australia pledges bid for footballer’s return

The Football Federation Australia has pledged the sum of a $10,000 in a bid to facilitate the release of jailed Bahraini refugee player, Hakeem al-Araibi, who is been held in Thailand.

Al-Araibi was on honeymoon to Thailand with his wife, when he was detained on the request of Bahrain for extradition, to serve a 10-years jail term for allegedly vandalising a police station in 2014, which he has denied.

He fled Bahrain to Australia in 2014, where he was granted political asylum and plays football for Pascoe Vale FC.

Al-Araibi, whose10 years jail-term sentencing was in absentia, urged a court in Bangkok not to extradite him to his home country; the court extended his detention by 60 days, during which he can file an objection against Bahrain’s extradition request.

Meanwhile, the Australian government, FIFA, the international players’ union FIFPro and prominent footballers, both active and retired have all lent their voice for Hakeem to be released. 

hoto credit: NDTV.com, Al Jazeera, Breaking News