BANGKOK: On Monday, Hakeem Al Araibi, a jailed Bahraini footballer who escaped from his country and has refugee status in Australia, While arrived in a Thai court, his feet in chain ups, to fight an extradition request from Bahrain. As per source reports, activists, and officials, including Australian ambassador-designate to Thailand Allan McKinnon, waited to greet Araibi, who was led into the courthouse wearing a beige prison uniform.

The footballer says he faces persecution and torture if he is sent back, he said  "Don't send me to Bahrain," Araibi, who fled Bahrain in 2014 before being granted permanent residence in Australia, where he played for Pascoe Vale, a second-tier soccer club in Melbourne, was arrested while on honeymoon in Bangkok in November on an Interpol notice issued at Bahrain's request. Chatchom Akapin, an official of the Thai attorney general's office said Court proceedings on Araibi's extradition "will take months,"

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Former Australian soccer captain Craig Foster, who has been campaigning around the world for Araibi's release, was also at the court to show support for the Bahraini refugee. "Your wife sent her love, Australia is with you, buddy," Foster shouted to Araibi who waved back to supporters. "Stay strong, Hakeem."

Last week, a Thai prosecutor submitted the Bahraini extradition request to the court, saying it showed Araibi had committed criminal wrongdoing and so should be extradited. Araibi was convicted of vandalising a police station in Bahrain and was sentenced to 10 years in prison in absentia.

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