Interpol drops red notice against Gregor Haas, lawyer calls for release
Interpol has cancelled a red notice against Gregor Haas, the father of NSW State of Origin front-rower Payne Haas, in a major development his lawyer says should trigger his immediate release and return to Australia a year after he was arrested on allegations of smuggling drugs into Indonesia.
Haas, 47, has been detained without charge in the Philippines since he was captured there at the behest of authorities in Indonesia, who have sought to have him extradited to Jakarta.
The father of nine strongly denies allegations of shipping five kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico, an amount sufficient to qualify for a death sentence in Indonesia if he were put on trial there and found guilty.
The high-stakes case has the potential to put relations between Australia and two of its key regional neighbours to the test, but the decision by the global law enforcement agency shapes as a significant breakthrough for Haas.
After mounting a rare successful application to Interpol to drop its red notice, his Australian lawyer, Abdul Reslan, has called for Australia to demand his release if he is not set free by the Philippines.
'We now urge the Philippines to ensure the expeditious release and repatriation of Haas to Australia,' he said.
'We are waiting for Interpol's decision to be processed in the Philippines to enable his release.
'From our point of view, the Philippines should comply with the prevailing international position and release him. If not, Australia should demand his immediate release.
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