‘He is a free man’: Thailand to release footballer Hakeem al-Araibi after Bahrain drops extradition request

The move comes after the Middle Eastern nation withdrew its extradition request for the footballer

The detention of al-Araibi, who appeared at a court hearing in shackles last week, drew international criticism

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A Thai court on Monday ordered the release of Hakeem al-Araibi. Photo: AP

Published: 5:06pm, 11 Feb 2019Updated: 5:06pm, 11 Feb 2019

Thailand will release by the end of Monday a refugee Bahraini footballer with residency status in Australia, a prosecutor said, after Bahrain abandoned its bid to seek his extradition.

Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, who fled Bahrain in 2014 and received refugee status in Australia, was arrested in November at a Bangkok airport while on a honeymoon trip following an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain’s request.

However, the Middle East nation has withdrawn the request, leading a Thai court to approve a motion by prosecutors to drop the case against the footballer, said Chatchom Akapin, an official in the Thai attorney general’s office.

“The court will now issue an order to release Mr Hakeem from jail today,” said Chatchom, the director general of the office’s international affairs department.

“There are no grounds to hold him any more. It is his right to decide where he will go next. He is a free man.”

Hakeem al-Araibi fled to Australia from Bahrain in 2014, claiming that he was tortured after he was arrested an alleged vandalism act. Photo: EPA

It was not immediately clear when Bahrain withdrew its extradition request. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had no comment on the case.