Crime
New Hope for Bahraini Man Arrested for Human Trafficing
Mohammed Ebrahim Yousif was arrested in November 2009 at Pattaya's Marine Plaza Hotel and jailed for eight years last December.
Bahrain Authorities are considering whether to intervene on behalf of a Bahraini jailed in Thailand for trafficking prostitutes.
Mohammed Ebrahim Yousif was arrested in November 2009 at Pattaya’s Marine Plaza Hotel and jailed for eight years last December.
His family claims he is innocent and has been campaigning for his release ever since his arrest by Thai police.
Their hopes have been raised after Mr Yousif’s brother, Khalifa, met a representative of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa’s Court yesterday.
During the meeting he handed over a letter from Mr Yousif’s mother addressed to the Premier, in which she appeals for his intervention.
“The official was very patient and listened carefully to the details of the case,” Khalifa told the GDN after the meeting. “He was taking note of everyone involved in the plight to release my brother and promised to see what can be done.
“I sincerely thank the Court for this huge effort, giving our family a glimpse of hope.”
During the meeting, Mr Yousif’s brother handed over documents that he claims prove his brother is innocent.
“The official told me I need to wait for them to study the case and talk to everyone involved,” he said. “I really hope my brother will return home and our family can put all this misery behind us.
“Gatherings during Ramadan are not the same without him and the family has been affected tremendously due to this.”
Meanwhile, the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society yesterday issued an appeal for Mr Yousif to be returned to his family in Bahrain in time for Eid Al Fitr.
Secretary-general Faisal Fulad revealed he will be travelling to Thailand next week, when he intends to meet officials from the Thai Human Rights Commission as well as Mr Yousif.
A Thai court convicted the Bahraini of trafficking women from Thailand to Bahrain for prostitution. Thai prosecutors argued Mr Yousif was part of a gang of overseas traffickers with known members in both Bahrain and Thailand.
He was reported to Thai police by a Thai woman in Bahrain, who claimed he brought her here to work in a massage parlour – but then forced her into the flesh trade
