Mohamed Hubail

Mohamed Hubail (born 23 June 1981) is a Bahraini footballer who was sentenced to a two-year term of imprisonment by a special security court in Bahrain after taking part in pro-democratic reform protests in Bahrain in 2011.

Career

Hubail is a member of the Bahrain national football team with 61 international appearances, his first in 2004. He is a midfield player who has scored 5 goals at international level.
At club level, Hubail currently plays for Al-Ahli Manama in Bahrain. He began his career with Al-Ahli and has also played for Al-Qadisiyah al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia, Al-Arabi Mansouriah in Kuwait and Qatar SC ad-Dōḥa and Al-Gharrafa ad-Dōḥa in Qatar.

Personal life

Mohamed's younger brother, A'ala Hubail, is also a footballer and a member of the Bahraini national team."In Bahrain, first, they came for the athletes" by Tahiyya Lulu at guardian.co.uk, 22 April 2011
accessed 24 April 2011

2011 detention, secret trial and imprisonment

On 5 April 2011 Mohamed Hubail and his brother A'ala were arrested by the Bahreini authorities and held in custody on an indefinite basis. The brothers had attended demonstrations during the 2011 Bahraini protests. Al-Ahli announced that the brothers had been dismissed from the club squad. The Al Wefaq party, the main opposition party in the Bahrain, announced that he had been convicted and sentenced on June 23 to two years in prison. According to Al Wefaq, the trial was conducted in secret by Bahrain's special security court established under the martial law regime imposed in March 2011.

On 24 June 2011 FIFA, the world football governing body, announced that it had contacted the Bahraini football authorities to provide information about cases involving players detained during political protests. Following allegations of government interference in the sport after Mohammed Hubail's prison sentence and A'ala Hubail's trial and the suspension of over 150 athletes, coaches and referees for taking part in anti-government protests, Bahrain could face a ban from world soccer. Suspension by FIFA could prevent Bahrain participating in Asian Olympic Games qualifying round matches (due in September 2011). According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, the Bahraini trials appeared to bear the marks of political persecution and there were serious concerns that the due process rights of the defendants were not respected.

On 29 June 2011 the Bahrain News Agency reported that the Bahrain Defence Force military public prosecutor had announced that "defendants involved at medical and sport crimes" had been released, but trials would continue in accordance with Bahraini legal procedures."Announcement by the military prosecuter[sic]", Bahrain News Agency website, 29 June 2011
accessed 29 June 2011

National team career statistics

Goals for Senior National Team

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hubail, Mohamed
1981 births
Living people
Bahraini footballers
Bahraini expatriate footballers
Bahrain international footballers
2004 AFC Asian Cup players
2007 AFC Asian Cup players
Al-Ahli Club (Manama) players
Al-Gharafa SC players
Qatar SC players
Al-Arabi SC (Kuwait) players
Al-Qadsiah FC players
Muscat Club players
Fanja SC players
Sitra Club players
Bahraini Premier League players
Qatar Stars League players
Kuwait Premier League players
Saudi Professional League players
Oman Professional League players
Association football midfielders
Expatriate footballers in Qatar
Expatriate footballers in Kuwait
Expatriate footballers in Saudi Arabia
Expatriate footballers in Oman
Bahraini expatriate sportspeople in Qatar
Bahraini expatriate sportspeople in Kuwait
Bahraini expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
Bahraini expatriate sportspeople in Oman