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The former football player of the Bahrain team Hakeem al-Araibi, here on February 4, 2019, spent more than 70 days in detention in Thailand. He was released on Monday. REUTERS / Athit Perawongmetha

Former Bahraini footballer Hakeem al-Araibi left his Thai jail after two and a half months behind bars. It is a relief for human rights defenders, as his case became the emblem of a problem of international law: he fled Bahrain, holds political refugee status in Australia, but was arrested during his holidays in Thailand. Could Thai justice send him back to Bahrain, where he faces 10 years in prison? Finally, it's no.

The media campaign has paid off. Since his arrest in late November, Hakeem al-Araïbi had a very active support committee: Amnesty International, FIFA, the International Olympic Committee ... A dozen organizations had come together to put pressure on Thailand so that he is not returned to Bahrain.

This is won after an in-camera meeting Monday between the Thai Foreign Minister and the Bahraini Crown Prince. Nothing filtered from this meeting, but a few hours later, the extradition request for Hakeem al-Araïbi was lifted. This authorizes him to return to Australia where he enjoys refugee status.

On the other hand, there is no question of returning to Bahrain, as the court ruling against him in 2014 remains valid. Ten years in prison for damaging a police station during the Arab Spring. Hakeem al-Araïbi has always claimed his innocence. " I was, " he says , " abroad that day, to play a football match. I am a victim of a political cabal because of my religious affiliation. Shia Muslim, in a country ruled by a Sunni monarchy.