A knowledgeable source in Basra Governorate revealed important details regarding the Bahraini opposition figure who was arrested by Kuwaiti authorities upon his arrival. The source told Shafaq News Agency that "the Bahraini opposition figure, Hashim Sharaf, had been in Iraq for several years, and with his residency nearing its expiration, he visited the Safwan border crossing late on 8/8/2024 to renew his residency. The passport officers at the crossing were unaware of his case with his home country of Bahrain."
The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, added that "when the Bahraini opposition figure's exit stamp from Iraq was issued, he did not want to leave the crossing and requested an entry stamp from the same officer. However, the officer refused to complete this procedure until he had finished entering the Kuwaiti side and returned to Iraq."
He pointed out that "the passport officers were unaware of the activist's case, and upon his arrival in Kuwait, he was immediately arrested because he was flagged in the border system as wanted by Bahrain and had a criminal sentence against him."
The source continued that "the Iraqi Ministry of Interior summoned the passport officer for questioning regarding this incident," without disclosing further details about the case. The Iraqi constitution, according to Article 21-Second, prohibits the extradition of a refugee to the country from which he fled, as does the Criminal Procedure Law (Article 358), which forbids the extradition of individuals wanted on political charges.
Hashim Sharaf had traveled from Najaf to Basra to "process his entry at the crossing and renew his entry visa, as he had only one day left before it expired," before intending to proceed from Basra to Karbala.
Kuwaiti security authorities arrested Bahraini expatriate Hashim Jaafar Sharaf (36 years old), a native of the capital Manama, last Wednesday at the "Safwan" border crossing with Iraq, in preparation for his extradition to Bahrain.
Informed sources indicated that Kuwait's intention to extradite Sharaf to Bahrain is the result of an arrest warrant issued against him, noting that he is currently detained in Kuwait and awaiting extradition, with concerns that he may face physical and psychological mistreatment.
It is noteworthy that Bahraini courts had previously issued three separate verdicts against Sharaf due to his defense of human rights in the country. The first sentence was life imprisonment, the second was ten years, and the third was three years, totaling a cumulative sentence of 38 years.
