Refugee Footballer Hakeem al-Araibi Freed

The ITUC has welcomed the release of refugee footballer Hakeem al-Araibi from prison in Thailand and his return to his place of asylum, Australia.

His release followed an unprecedented campaign led by sports players, their unions and the ITUC Australian affiliate ACTU, with governments, global unions, human rights groups and international sports federations FIFA and the IOC all calling for his release. Hakeem was detained at Bangkok Airport when Bahrain, which has close ties with Thailand, demanded he be sent back there to serve a ten-year prison term for a crime he did not commit.

“We are relieved for Hakeem and his wife that he has returned to his new home Australia after the ordeal of more than 70 days in a Thai prison. Thailand finally let him go under intense international pressure, yet Bahrain is still publicly threatening him.

While he is now free, the fact is that Bahrain, which has an appalling record of human rights violations, still holds high positions in the world of sport including FIFA and the Asia Football Confederation and is a host of Formula 1 races. It is unacceptable that a regime such as this can retain powerful influence in international sport, and severely undermines the efforts that are being made to drive human rights violations out of the world of sport,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

For more information:
https://www.ituc-csi.org/savehakeem-bahrain-must-cease-and
https://www.uniglobalunion.org/news/hakeem-saved-historic-moment-sport-and-human-rights-movement
https://www.actu.org.au/actu-media/media-releases/2019/union-movement-celebrates-hakeem-s-release

For more information, please contact the ITUC Press Department on +32 2 224 02 53 or by e-mail: press@ituc-csi.org

Related news

Job Opening: Social Media & Communications Assistant

Job Opening: Social Media & Communications Assistant

­ Job Description: Social Media & Communications Assistant Start date:       July 2025 Location:         Remote Reporting to:   Communications Coordinator Hours:             15 hours/week Application Deadline: 30 June 2025 Summary The Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) is seeking a social media and communications assistant to help manage and create content for the SRA external […]

READ MORE

AP Photo/Eric Thayer

World Cup: A Year Out, Growing Attacks on Rights

Largest-Ever Sporting Event Poses Major Risks for Fans, Workers & Athletes (Amsterdam, June 11, 2025) – The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) should take immediate and demonstrable steps to safeguard human rights for all people involved in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. With just one year […]

READ MORE

Related resources

Image shows the arms of six players wearing read jerseys and black sleeves huddled with their hands together.

FIFA: Recognize, Support Afghan Women’s Team in Exile

New Report Details Afghan Women Footballers’ Fight for Right to Play (Amsterdam, March 25, 2025) – The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) should act to stop the ongoing discrimination against Afghan women footballers living in exile and facilitate their return to international competition, the Sport & Rights Alliance said in a report released today. […]

READ MORE

Submission to UN Human Rights Report on Combating Discrimination and Violence Against Intersex Persons

Submission to UN Human Rights Report on Combating Discrimination and Violence Against Intersex Persons

Ensuring the Rights of Intersex Athletes to Safe, Inclusive Sports Environments The LGBTI community faces numerous, often unique challenges when it comes to their right to participate in sport. Discriminatory narratives, exclusionary policies, and pervasive online harassment are just a few of the significant obstacles that hinder their ability to engage and enjoy in sports […]

READ MORE

Join the Network

Sport has the potential to be a catalyst for human development, unity, and freedom, but too often it instead brings harm to its athletes, fans, and communities. We exist to uncover and rectify the many abuses that exist both in and around sport. We aim to transform sports into an authentic force for good.