Responding to two separate extradition requests issued by authorities in Egypt and the United Emirates (UAE) for Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian-Turkish poet, who was arbitrarily detained by Lebanese security forces upon his return from a visit to Syria on 28 December, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Sara Hashash said:
“The Lebanese authorities must urgently reject the requests for the extradition of Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi made by the Egyptian and UAE authorities.
“Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi’s arbitrary detention came after he made comments critical of the Emirati, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian authorities and the requests for his extradition are believed to be based on the legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression.
“Criticizing the authorities is not a crime. If returned to Egypt Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi would be at real risk of enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and unfair trial leading to prolonged unjust imprisonment, he would also be at risk of arbitrary detention and other human rights violations if he is returned to the UAE.
“Forcibly extraditing him to a country where he is likely to face persecution would be a flagrant breach of the principle of non-refoulement under international law.
“This case is a crucial test of the Lebanese authorities’ commitment to the right to freedom of expression. They must put their respect for human rights and obligations under international law before political ties and economic interests. The Lebanese authorities must reject the extradition requests from the UAE and Egypt , release Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi immediately and allow him to travel to Türkiye or another destination of his choice.”
Background:
Lebanese authorities are expected to take a decision over Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi’s extradition request later this week.
During a visit to Damascus in December 2024, Al-Qaradawi filmed himself walking around the Umayyad Mosque and criticizing the authorities of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. According to his family and lawyers, this short clip widely shared on social media triggered his arrest. He was arrested at the Lebanese/Syrian border on 28 December and was later interrogated by Lebanese security forces in relation to a 2017 verdict issued in absentia by an Egyptian court, convicting him on charges of spreading “false news”, among others, and sentencing him to five years in prison in a politically-motivated case, as well as the UAE extradition request.
On 3 January 2025, Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi’s lawyers submitted an urgent letter to UN Special Procedures demanding a halt to the Egyptian and Emirati extradition requests.
Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi is a dual Egyptian Turkish national living and working in Türkiye. He is the son of late prominent Egyptian Islamic scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi. His sister, Ola Al-Qaradawi, has spent four years arbitrarily detained in Egypt on bogus terrorism related charges.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.