Hollywood star Anthony LaPaglia asks Wolverine, Thor, Robin Hood and Harley Quinn to help free jailed footballer Hakeem
- Ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has also joined campaign to have Hakeem released from Thai jail
- World Players Association asks players around the world to voice their support for Hakeem
Hollywood star Anthony LaPaglia and ex-Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler have joined the call to free a Bahraini refugee footballer languishing in a Thai jail with the #SaveHakeem campaign urging big-name players to speak up on his behalf.
LaPaglia, a Golden Globe winner for his role as FBI agent Jack Malone in Without A Trace and an ex-player with Adelaide City and West Adelaide, took to social media to demand the release of Hakeem al-Araibi – a former international who went to Bangkok on his honeymoon in early November but was arrested upon arrival on an erroneous red notice from Interpol seeking his extradition to Bahrain.
“All the support we can generate will help save this young man from the cold indifference of political expediency,” wrote the 59-year-old LaPaglia, who endorsed a tweet to fellow Australian Hollywood giants Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Chris Hemsworth (Thor and Avengers), Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Robin Hood, A Beautiful Mind) and Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) by FIFPro’s Andrew Orsatti.
LaPaglia, who was brilliant as Daphne’s layabout brother in episodes of hit US comedy Frasier, said he hoped the Australian government would throw its support behind Hakeem.
He tweeted: “Defining moment4 Aust Govt.R they going 2 side with Bahrain?AsTrump&Repub party did withSaudis after murdering Khashoggi,UScitizen,4 financial benefits?Austs long-standing trade deals w Bahrain clearly behind reluctance to step up&show we value justice&life over $$$.#SaveHakeem.”
Andrew Orsatti’s message retweeted by Anthony LaPaglia
Fowler, one of Liverpool’s most popular players who scored 120 goals for the club in 236 appearances and also played two seasons in Australia, responded positively to a call from his friend Rabieh Krayem asking him to get behind the #SaveHakeem campaign.
Meanwhile, World Players Association, which fights to preserve the human rights of more than 85,000 athletes around the world and is affiliated to main global players’ union FIFPro, is calling on the big names to support the quest to have Hakeem released.
The 25-year-old Bahraini fled his home country in 2014 after claiming he was detained and tortured for protesting against the government during the Arab spring. In 2016, he publicly criticised Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalia, who is a member of the Bahrain royal family.
Hakeem accused him of involvement in the crackdown of Bahrain athletes and fears he will be tortured again should the Thai authorities extradite him.
Said Schwab: “FIFPro is calling on players to support Hakeem, including through Amnesty International’s petition.
“World Players is gravely concerned about Hakeem’s situation, along with the many who are supporting his safe return to Australia. These concerns have been exacerbated by Hakeem’s
50-day plus detention despite the certainty of his position under international law, international media attention.”
He said Hakeem was no closer to being freed despite activism by clubs, players, football associations, player associations, trade unions, NGOs and human rights defenders, and statements by eminent human rights experts [such as] Mary Robinson, [Australia’s foreign minister]Marise Payne and Football Federation Australia (FFA).
“Clearly, Bahrain is exerting great pressure to have Hakeem extradited despite this being a flagrant breach of international law,” added Schwab. “The fact is that [world governing body] Fifa has the tools in place through its regulations and human rights policy to ensure that all in football, especially the AFC, Bahrain Football Association and the Thai Football Association, act to apply maximum leverage on their governments to ensure Hakeem’s safe return.
“Every day Hakeem is in detention is a day football has failed to uphold its human rights commitments.”
