A number of high profile athletes – including Cronulla Sharks premiership-winning five-eighth James Maloney – have signed a letter to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking him to intervene in the case of detained footballer Hakeem al-Araibi.
A former international soccer player for Bahrain who now plays semi-professionally in Melbourne, Araibi has been detained in prison in Thailand for nearly two months and his supporters believe his life is at risk.
Bahrain is attempting to extradite him so he can serve a 10-year prison term for vandalising a police station. Araibi was sentenced in absentia in 2014 and says footage of him playing in a televised soccer match at the time of the alleged crime is proof of his innocence.
Araibi was granted refugee status and permanent residency in Australia in 2017 but was arrested at Bahrain's request in November upon his arrival in Bangkok, where he was planning to honeymoon with his wife.
He believes his detention is politically motivated, having previously criticised Bahraini royal Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, who is also the president of the Asian Football Confederation. Araibi fears torture and potentially death if he is forced to return to Bahrain.
His case has attracted worldwide attention, with a number of organisations heavily criticised for their inaction or refusal to provide support to Araibi – including the AFC whose flagship event, the Asian Cup, is taking place in the United Arab Emirates.
AFC officials shut down attempts by reporters at the Asian Cup to ask Socceroos players about al-Araibi’s case on Friday.
Australian sportspeople from a variety of codes have signed an open letter to Mr Morrison, asking him to directly engage with Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-ocha on Al-Araibi's case.
Mr Morrison, who is also the MP for Cook in the Sutherland Shire, is a self-confessed sport lover and fan of the Cronulla Sharks.
Former Sharks star Maloney signed the letter in his capacity as a Rugby League Players’ Association director.
“He is a torture survivor, former international athlete and brave young man who spoke out on behalf of the people of Bahrain for freedom and democracy,” the letter reads.
“His rights as a refugee under international law are being contravened and we stand in solidarity with him as Champions and Captains of Australian sport. It is our duty as leaders to protect all athletes in our sporting communities.
“No athlete should ever be sanctioned, much less imprisoned and tortured, for expressing their right to free speech and their support for the rule of law and democracy. Hakeem is also a recognised refugee and, having been put in this extremely vulnerable situation, now needs our help, and your voice.”
Athletes including Jess Fox, Daniel Kowalski, Steve Hooker, Lydia Lassila and Cate Campbell and footballers Paul Wade, Frank Farina and former Southern Expansion head of football Craig Foster have all signed the letter.
Asian football officials shut down al-Araibi questions to Socceroos first appeared on the Sydney Morning Herald website.
