BANGKOK — A Thai court ordered the release of a refugee soccer player on Monday after prosecutors said they were no longer seeking his extradition to Bahrain in a case that had drawn worldwide attention. The state-run Bahrain News Agency reported Sunday that Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa had a phone call with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, but offered no specifics on their discussions. Al-Araibi, 25, a former Bahraini national team player, has said he fled his home country due to political repression. He was detained at the request of Bahrain relayed through Interpol upon his arrival in Bangkok in November while on honeymoon with his wife. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had in recent weeks has spoken out strongly on behalf of al-Araibi’s freedom.

Source: National Post February 11, 2019 08:37 UTC