Don’t extradite tortured footballer to Bahrain regime

This 28 December 2018 video says about itself:

Hakeem al Araibi: Football’s Political Prisoner

The story of Hakeem al Araibi, and how regimes punish those that speak out, and how football and the Asian Football Confederation became complicit in that persecution.

Translated from Dutch NOS TV today:

FIFA demands release of Bahraini footballer in Thailand

FIFA, the world football association, demands that the Bahraini footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi be immediately freed from his Thai prison. Al-Araibi was arrested in Thailand in November at the request of Bahrain and has been in a cell since. Bahrain has asked for his extradition.

Araibi applied for political asylum in Australia in 2014, where he plays with a refugee status at Pascoe Vale, a club in the second division. He was arrested during a holiday to Thailand. …

The case causes a lot of turmoil, especially in Australia. Craig Foster, former Australian team captain, campaigns actively for the release of Araibi and met with FIFA secretary general Fatma Samoura in Zurich on Monday.

Really late, big day. We’re feeling much more optimistic after today, plenty of work ahead, but powerful step taken. Wanted to let u know that @FIFAcom acknowledged the strength and vital importance of your public campaign. If we get him out, you lot made it happen #SaveHakeem 🙏

— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) January 28, 2019

“We all feel that this is an emergency situation that requires steps from all parties involved to protect Hakeem”, Foster said. “We call on Thailand again to release Hakeem immediately and to respect his international human rights.”

Araibi fears that he will be tortured if he would be handed over to Bahrain. “He was physically tortured in 2012 and he knows what lies ahead”, Foster said. “That’s why the Australian footballers have spoken up so strongly.”