Guards lead Bahraini football player Hakeem al-Araibi from a court in Bangkok after a hearing on Dec 11. (AP photo)SYDNEY: Human rights groups and former football players have called on Fifa and the Australian government to intervene to stop a Melbourne-based refugee and semi-professional footballer from being extradited from Thailand to Bahrain. Hakeem al-Araibi, 25, a former member of Bahrain's national team, was granted refugee status in Australia last year after fleeing his homeland. In a statement earlier this month, Fifa urged that al-Araibi should be returned to Australia “at the earliest possible moment”. He said he believed he was targeted for arrest because of his Shia faith and because his brother was politically active in Bahrain.

Source: Bangkok Post December 22, 2018 06:56 UTC