Lebanon approves extradition of Egyptian activist al-Qaradawi to UAE

Amnesty International warns that al-Qaradawi could be at risk of human rights violations if extradited to the UAE. Lebanon’s government has decided to extradite Egyptian opposition activist Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi to the United Arab Emirates, despite warnings that he could be subject to ill-treatment there. “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,” said the global rights organisation’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Sara Hashash. 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.” Hashash said that forcibly extraditing al-Qaradawi to a country where he is likely to face persecution would be a “flagrant breach of the principle of nonrefoulement under international law” and called the case a “crucial test of the Lebanese authorities’ commitment to the right to freedom of expression”.