Hakeem al-Araibi's release may be to save Thailand's reputation
Legal refugee Hakeem al-Araibi has been released from prison in Thailand and has headed home to Melbourne.
Tuesday 12 February 2019 04:42, UK
For more than two months, Hakeem al-Araibi has been detained in Bangkok awaiting possible extradition - with little suggestion that Thailand or Bahrain would free him.聽
When I visited him 10 days ago at the city's Remand Prison, where he was sharing a cell with 48 others, he was losing hope.
Al-Araibi was granted refugee status in Australia in 2017, after claiming he was tortured in his native Bahrain following the Arab Spring protests.
Today's sudden announcement that the Criminal Court has approved the withdrawal of his extradition request has come as a surprise to many, and the 25-year-old is now heading home to Australia.
Just a week ago, he arrived at court - barefoot with ankles shackled - to hear a date had been set in April for his extradition hearing. His application for bail was refused.
But pictures from that day of a legal refugee being led to the courtroom in chains sparked global outrage online, instantly magnifying the growing calls to release him.
In the 24 hours that followed, his name and #savehakeem were trending on Twitter in Thailand, with some suggesting tourists should avoid travelling to the country until he was set free.
Politicians and international sports stars such as Didier Drogba and Jamie Vardy added their names to the list calling to #savehakeem.
FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the International Olympic Committee demanded he be allowed to return home.
To add to the pressure, al-Araibi's case has been sullying the positive PR Thailand gained from helping Saudi teen Rahaf Mohammed get asylum in Canada in January.
The country had also recently promised no refugees would be forced back to their home countries.
The official reason for al-Araibi's release is that Bahrain has withdrawn its extradition request, but those fighting for his freedom believe it is to prevent more damage to Thailand's reputation.
Sources told me that officials have been monitoring the impact the case has been having on its reputation internationally and the sudden uptick of condemnation from around the world may have prompted action.
Thailand has a general election, a coronation and chairing of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to focus on - so the fallout from Bahrain's grudge against a young refugee is frankly a headache it doesn't need right now.