Thai FM Suggests Extradition of Bahraini Footballer to a Third Country

By Staff, Bahrain Mirror

In a move to shift the attention away from Thailand, Thai Foreign Minister Don Paramudvinai says Australia and Bahrain should hold talks to resolve the case by having him sent to a third country instead of extraditing him to Bahrain to face imprisonment or by sending him to his requested country of asylum, Australia.

He said he had already proposed the option to both Bahrain and Australia, noting that it would be less complicated and would help resolve the problem, adding that Thailand was willing to help facilitate the talks.

Al-Araibi, 25, a former Bahraini national team player, says he fled his home country due to political repression. Bahrain wants him returned to serve a 10-year prison sentence he received in absentia in 2014 for an arson attack that damaged a police station, which he denies.

He was detained upon his arrival in Bangkok in November while on a holiday, and subsequently was held pending the completion of the extradition request by Bahrain.

Hakeem said he was blindfolded and had his legs beaten while he was held in Bahrain previously. He said he believed he was targeted for arrest because of his faith as a Shia Muslim and because his brother was politically active in Bahrain.