Amnesty International has called on Lebanese authorities to deny extradition requests for Abdul Rahman Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian-Turkish poet detained in Lebanon since December 28, 2024. The requests, submitted by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have drawn widespread criticism from human rights advocates.
Sara Hashash, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, urged Lebanon to reject the extradition, emphasizing that Al-Qaradawi’s detention appears to be linked to his public criticism of Egyptian, Emirati, and Saudi authorities.
“Criticizing governments is not a crime,” Hashash said. “If extradited, Al-Qaradawi faces a high risk of enforced disappearance, torture, and unfair trial in Egypt, as well as arbitrary detention and other human rights abuses in the UAE.”
Amnesty also warned that any extradition would violate international law’s principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face persecution.
Background
Al-Qaradawi, son of the late Islamic scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, was arrested at the Lebanese-Syrian border after a visit to Damascus. His detention followed a social media post where he criticized UAE, Saudi, and Egyptian authorities while walking around Damascus’ Umayyad Mosque.
Lebanese authorities interrogated Al-Qaradawi over a 2017 Egyptian court verdict convicting him in absentia on politically motivated charges, including spreading “false news,” and sentencing him to five years in prison. The UAE has also sought his extradition, reportedly for similar reasons.
On January 3, 2025, Al-Qaradawi’s legal team submitted an urgent appeal to the UN Special Procedures, calling for intervention to halt the extradition attempts.
Al-Qaradawi, a dual Egyptian-Turkish national based in Türkiye, has faced mounting political pressure due to his outspoken criticism of regional governments. His sister, Ola Al-Qaradawi, has also been arbitrarily detained in Egypt for four years on unfounded terrorism-related charges.
Lebanese authorities are expected to decide on the extradition requests later this week. Amnesty International and other human rights organizations are urging Lebanon to uphold its commitments to human rights and international law by releasing Al-Qaradawi and allowing him to travel freely to Türkiye or another destination of his choice.