Bahrain Mirror (2019 Roundup): 2018 ended with former Bahrain national football team player Hakeem Al-Araibi still held in a Thai prison, awaiting a final decision from the judiciary regarding his extradition to Manama, despite the fact that he entered Thailand having refugee status in Australia.

He was arrested by Thai authorities upon arrival at the airport on November 27, 2018, under an Interpol warrant issued at Bahrain's request.

Since the arrest, Australian officials strongly interfered, and so did the FIFA which demanded Thailand to allow Al-Araibi to return to Australia since he's a professional player at an Australian club and a former international player for Bahrain. Al-Araibi was detained for 60 days, pending the completion of his extradition request from Bahrain, based on the Thai court's decision.

One of the most prominent figures of the scene was retired Australian football player and sports analyst Craig Foster, who led a wide campaign in support of Hakeem and held a series of meetings inside and outside Australia to help his case. Meanwhile, a Twitter campaign under the hashtag #SaveHakeem was launched. Foster called on the football community, mainly FIFA, and his followers, to advocate for Hakeem's rescue.

Fifa urged Prayut Chan-o-cha, the Prime Minister of Thailand, in a letter on January 23, to return Al-Araibi to Australia and demanded to discuss Al-Araibi's case with a representative from the Thia government.

Foster welcomed the step in a tweet he posted on his Twitter account, but said that it is not enough. "At a minimum, the same letter must go to Bahrain immediately. FIFA are obligated to apply maximum leverage with ‘all relevant stakeholders'. Bahrain is the other," he tweeted.

Welcome step. Not enough. At a minimum, the same letter must go to Bahrain immediately. @fifamedia @FIFAcom are obligated to apply maximum leverage with ‘all relevant stakeholders’. Bahrain is the other. Waiting for the letter @fatma_samoura .. thankyou #SaveHakeem pic.twitter.com/JWGa7WIbv2

— Craig Foster (@Craig_Foster) January 24, 2019

Australia's Foreign Minister Marise Payne also urged Thai authorities to release Al-Araibi.

For his part, Bahraini Interior Minister Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said that the legal measures to extradite Al-Araibi to Bahrain are ongoing and criticized what he dubbed "external interference" in the kingdom's affairs.

On February 3, Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement explaining the government's view on Al-Araibi's case, concluding that the government wants to receive Al-Araibi from Thailand and said he has the right to appeal his sentence.

During the January 4 hearing, the court gave Al-Araibi's lawyer 60 days to prepare a defense against the Bahraini government's request for extradition, and refused to release him on bail. The session was attended by representatives from the governments of Australia, the United States of America, Britain, Belgium, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, the European Union, Denmark, Canada, Germany, France and Norway, as well as representatives from FIFA and Human Rights Watch.

Upon his arrival to the courtroom, Al-Araibi renewed his demand not to be sent to Bahrain, expressing his fear that the Bahraini authorities would kill him. He denied before the judge the charges brought against him by the Bahraini authorities.

The public opinion was provoked by bringing Al-Araibi to trial chained and barefoot. This caused widespread public and official condemnation. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power described, via her Twitter account, the shackling of player Hakeem Al-Araibi as "outrageous".

Outrageous. #SaveHakeem https://t.co/6zSRAUCBdt

— Samantha Power (@SamanthaJPower) February 4, 2019

Within hours, a hashtag #SaveHakeem was used in about half a million tweets. In particular, the video, which depicts the handcuffed player walking in a long line of defendants, while two Thai police officers grabbed him by his shoulders, received many comments of condemnation, forcing a Thai official to comment.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was "disturbed" to see Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi in shackles in Thailand and had told its prime minister this was a serious issue for Australians.

Breaking his silence for the first time since Al-Araibi was detained on November 27, the Thai prime minister said Thailand was working with Australia and Bahrain to find a solution.

The victory of Hakeem over the extradition order was announced on February 11. The Thai prosecutor issued a decision to drop Hakeem's extradition request, closing one of the most terrifying chapters Hakeem and his family experienced for 4 months since his arrest.

The Australian government welcomed the news in a press conference. In a joint press conference, Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and Prime Minister Scott Morrison welcomed the news. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tweeted it was "the right decision". "Looking forward to seeing you back with your family and joining Pascoe Vale FC on the field," he said.

In his first statement in front of dozens of media outlets and Australians in solidarity with him at Melbourne International Airport, Hakeem Al-Araibi said "I would like to thank Australia, the (Australian) government, Craig Foster and the media. It's amazing to see all these people here, I'm going to be strong for Australia, I love Australia, it's my country." Photos showed Craig Foster standing by his side. Foster later spoke to the media and thanked the supporters around the world. 

March 11 was marked as the happy ending of Hakeem's story when he was granted Australian citizenship amid a special ceremony, attended by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, who met Al-Araibi and congratulated him on his citizenship. The Foreign Ministry paid tribute to former Australia coach Craig Foster, who was present alongside Hakeem at the ceremony.

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