Lebanon approves extradition of Egyptian activist al-Qaradawi to UAE

Amnesty International warns Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi could be at risk of human rights violations if extradited to UAE.

Lebanon’s government has decided to extradite Egyptian opposition activist Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite warnings that he could be subject to ill-treatment there.

The office of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced on Tuesday that the country is set to extradite the son of the late Muslim Brotherhood cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi to the UAE after the cabinet voted in favour.

The 53-year-old was arrested in Lebanon on December 28, shortly after returning from Syria, where he had travelled after longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was toppled by opposition fighters.

Before his arrest, the activist recorded a video of himself at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. In the video, he said he hopes the Syrian people will emerge victorious after a tumultuous time. He also criticised the authorities of the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

The UAE and Egypt have both filed requests for his extradition.