Australia, Thailand and the Gulf states have been inextricably linked in two global news stories lately, when two young people faced being forcibly returned to the places and people they fled simply because they happened to step foot in Bangkok. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, an 18-year-old Saudi woman, was on her way to Australia seeking its protection. Twenty-five-year-old Hakeem …

Melbourne, Australia – Pressure is growing on Thailand to allow detained footballer Hakeem al-Araibi to return to Australia, where he was granted refugee status in 2017 after fleeing Bahrain, following a Saudi woman’s successful campaign to halt efforts to deport her from the Southeast Asian country. Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne arrives in Bangkok on Thursday and has said she …

In an ideal world, Hakeem al-Araibi would be taking to the football field for Bahrain against Thailand in the Asian Cup. Instead, the Australian-based refugee languishes in a Bangkok prison cell, cut off from his wife and family. Al-Araibi, 25, has been detained in Bangkok for 45 days, caught in a legal tug-of-war between the …

World football’s governing body FIFA has called for a “humane and speedy resolution” of the case concerning refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi, who is currently being detained in prison in Thailand awaiting the outcome of extradition proceedings to his home country of Bahrain. Bahrain sentenced Al-Araibi to 10 years in prison in 2014 for allegedly vandalising …

Australia’s football federation executives have finally met with the president of the Asian Football Confederation and Bahraini royal, Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa, more than 40 days after Hakeem al-Araibi was detained in Thailand. Al-Araibi is a Bahraini dissident who has lived in Australia for four years, and is a permanent resident with refugee status on the basis …

Human rights groups and the Greens are calling on the Government to intervene in the case of a young Saudi woman who says she is facing forced return to her family. The woman, Rahaf Alqunun, says she was apprehended in transit in Thailand while en route to Australia. Experts say while Australia may have a …

Football reform campaign group, #NewFIFANow, has called on the President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, to use his influence to free Hakeem Al-Araibi from a Bangkok jail. As we have previously written about, the case of refugee football player Hakeem Al-Araibi involves three countries taking part in the Asian Cup: …

Australian footballers including former Socceroo captain Craig Foster and A-League champion Rodrigo Vargas have demanded the Australian government and global football community do more to help detained refugee Hakeem Al-Araibi. They joined representatives from human rights groups, Mr Al-Araibi’s legal team and members from Football Victoria and Pascoe Vale FC in Melbourne on Saturday to …

Australia’s soccer community is demanding the federal government step up its fight to bring home a Melbourne-based refugee footballer as fears for his safety grow. Hakeem al-Araibi, who was granted refugee status by Australia after he fled Bahrain, is being held in a Thai detention centre following an incorrectly-issued Interpol red notice flagging his arrival …

Australia’s soccer community is demanding the federal government step up its fight to bring home a Melbourne-based refugee footballer as fears for his safety grow. Hakeem al-Araibi, who was granted refugee status by Australia after he fled Bahrain, is being held in a Thai detention centre following an incorrectly-issued Interpol red notice flagging his arrival …