Minister demands Hakeem Al-Araibi’s return to Australia as club prays for his safety
Pascoe Vale Football Club members are “praying and hoping” refugee player Hakeem Al-Araibi, who is facing the threat of deportation to Bahrain, can return safely home.
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The Pascoe Vale Football Club is rallying around a professional player facing the threat of deportation to Bahrain.
Hakeem Al-Araibi has been detained in Thailand since November 27.
The Bundoora man has played soccer for Pascoe Vale since 2017, and club chairman Lou Tona said the club was in close contact with his lawyers and “praying and hoping” he wouldn’t be sent to Bahrain.
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Federal foreign affairs minister Marise Payne on Sunday demanded Al-Araibi’s release and said returning him to Bahrain would contravene human rights law.
“Australia has made, and will continue to make, high-level diplomatic representations seeking Mr Al-Araibi’s safe return,” she said.
Tona said the defender has asked permission of his coaches to take a holiday to Thailand with his wife during the club’s pre-season training.
“He’s a really simple, respectful kid. That’s all I can say about him … He’s a really good guy,” he said.
“We’re just praying that he returns to Melbourne and hope he is safe with his wife.”
Al-Araibi fled Bahrain for Australia in 2015 and was granted refugee status in November 2017.
The 25-year-old flew to Bangkok on November 27 for a holiday and was then detained by authorities due to an Interpol Red Notice, believed to have dated back to accusations of him vandalising a police station in Bahrain.
However, it was revealed last week Bahrain authorities had alerted Thai authorities to the holiday, and requested his arrest.
Al-Araibi denied the accusations in 2016 and said he was playing in a televised soccer match at the time.
He also said he had been imprisoned and tortured in Bahrain in late 2012.
Latifa Al-Haouli, a lawyer representing Mr Al-Araibi, said there were fears the notice had been put in place because he had spoken out against his torture to the media.
Ms Al-Haouli said a 12-day remand period was granted for Mr Al-Araibi from December 3 before a decision was to be made on his future.
Former Socceroo Craig Foster was among those in the international soccer community to call for his return last week.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to secure a lawyer for Mr Al-Araibi.
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