Morocco approves extradition of Australian citizen to Saudi Arabia

A Moroccan court has approved the extradition of Saudi-Australian dual national Osama al-Hasani to Saudi Arabia despite concerns about his safety, his lawyer and family said on Wednesday.

Hasani’s lawyer denounced the decision as “extraordinary and disappointing” in a statement, saying the extradition - which could now happen at any time - would pose a threat to Hasani's “fundamental rights, safety and security”.

His wife, Hanae, cried as she told the Reuters news agency by phone: "I did not expect this verdict."

Hasani was arrested on 8 February while visiting his newborn child in Morocco.

A court in Saudi Arabia previously sentenced the businessman, who formerly worked at a Saudi university, to two years in prison.

A Moroccan justice ministry official said the arrest took place following an Interpol notice filed by Saudi Arabia, adding that Hasani is wanted by the Saudis for a penal code matter involving theft.

His wife previously expressed her fears that her husband could end up "like Khashoggi", referring to the Saudi journalist who was killed in the country's Istanbul consulate in 2018.

“I am afraid that his fate will be like that of Jamal Khashoggi,” she told Australia’s SBS News in early March.

“I am afraid that my husband will be handed over to the Saudi authorities, I am afraid to lose [our newborn child's] father.”

ABC News quoted an Australian Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson as saying they were providing consular assistance to Hasani's family and that the "circumstances of his detention and possible extradition are of concern to Australia".