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Al-Qaradawi's Lawyer Takes Legal Action to Stop His Deportation to the UAE
Two days ago, Lebanese authorities decided to deport Abdul Rahman, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the UAE, following demands from Cairo and Abu Dhabi for his extradition as he is wanted by both countries.
Mohamed Sablooh, the lawyer for the Egyptian dissident Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi, announced that he would file a request with the Lebanese judiciary to halt the decision to extradite his client to the UAE, noting that al-Qaradawi is currently in a "unknown location."
Sablooh stated that he would submit an "urgent request to the interim matters judge in Beirut for a decision to suspend the government's decision to deport al-Qaradawi to the UAE." He also indicated that he would appeal the government decision before the Council of State in Lebanon, according to the "Al-Hurra" website.
Sablooh revealed that Lebanese authorities transferred al-Qaradawi overnight from his detention location at the Beirut Palace of Justice to an undisclosed location. The Lebanese government announced its decision to deport al-Qaradawi, the son of the late Islamic preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi, after he was apprehended while on his way from Syria to Lebanon.
This came after he posted a video in which he spoke from within the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, warning of assaults on the Syrian revolution and attacking the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The Syrian authorities distanced themselves from al-Qaradawi, with the Ministry of Information confirming that the opinions of visitors do not necessarily reflect the official position of Damascus.
The lawyer explained that he has organized a mandate for several lawyers in Europe to pursue the Mikati government, highlighting its violation of international laws by extraditing al-Qaradawi.
He expressed concerns about the possibility of al-Qaradawi being deported to the UAE before he has the chance to appeal before the Council of State. According to Lebanon's National News Agency, al-Qaradawi was interrogated by the Public Prosecution Office regarding the Interpol notice issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, which calls for his arrest based on a five-year absentia prison sentence in Egypt.
The Egyptian Network for Human Rights pointed out the "serious risks" that could arise from al-Qaradawi's deportation to Egypt or the UAE, with Sarah Hashash, Deputy Director of the Regional Office of Amnesty International, urging Lebanese authorities to reject his extradition, considering it a violation of the principle of non-refoulement under international law.
Additionally, human rights organizations have urged the Lebanese government to halt the decision for forced deportation, emphasizing the need to respect the Convention Against Torture. It is worth noting that al-Qaradawi, a poet and opposition activist, was known for his opposition to the regime of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and has criticized the current President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. His father, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, was a prominent figure in the Muslim Brotherhood and passed away in exile in Qatar in 2022.
