Bangkok: The wife of refugee footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi has begged Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to release her husband from his jail cell.
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Araibi was detained by Thai authorities on November 27 after an Interpol Red Notice, a form of international arrest warrant, was issued by the Bahrain government.
Araibi plays for Melbourne's Pascoe Vale Football Club and has been recognised as a refugee by Australia.
Araibi's wife, who has asked not to be named, wrote in the letter that she and her husband had travelled to Thailand for their honeymoon because "we thought it would be the perfect country to have our honeymoon in. We travelled together excited to arrive in Thailand, only to be met with imprisonment.
"I was with my husband for the first ten days of his detention. You cannot imagine the anguish, fear and anxiety felt by both of us as we were in detention. We had no common language to communicate with the Thai authorities, no lawyer to represent us, and we were struggling to understand the nightmare that we fell into.
"Eventually I had to leave my husband and return to Australia alone. I have no family here, and I am anxiously waiting for a glimpse of hope to have my husband return home."
Earlier this week, she appealed to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern for help too.
Araibi's wife said that her husband had been tortured in Bahrain and that he feared for his life if forced to return to his birth country.
And she linked Araibi's case with the recent, successful campaign to stop Saudi Arabian woman Rahaf Mohammed being sent home by Thai authorities. Instead, Mohammed was granted asylum by Canada after Australia dragged its feet in processing her claim.
"At the time, your officials confirmed that they would not send back someone to be killed. Thai authorities supported and protected Rahaf and allowed her to go to Canada. I am only hoping for the same thing for my husband, to be allowed to go back to Australia," she stated in the letter.
"I am frightened for my husband’s life and our future...Please save my husband."
Araibi was convicted of a crime he claims he did not commit - as he was playing football in a game broadcast live on state TV - back in 2012.
Bahrain filed an extradition request for Araibi on Monday. It has been forwarded to prosecutors for deliberation. But it could be months before the case is resolved.
Araibi's lawyer, Nadthasiri Bergman, said on Wednesday morning that "I think it might be June by the time this even comes to court in Thailand".
That's because of the need to translate Bahrain's extradition request from Arabic into Thai, and English, the time it will take prepare Araibi's defence and potential delays in court hearings.
"Hakeem faces months more in detention, even though he has committed no crime," she said.
"A lot of people are following this case and the Thai government likes to say it is protecting Human rights. Well, people are paying attention to this case and they will actually see if the Thai government is protecting human rights."
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Scott Morrison had personally intervened in Araibi's case to petition for his release.
