Mr. David Lammy, UK Foreign Secretary
Ms. Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Honorable Officials,
We, the undersigned organizations, express our grave concern and urgently call for your intervention to end the arbitrary detention of the renowned poet and democracy advocate, Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, who was forcibly deported to the United Arab Emirates on January 8, 2025, and has been subjected to enforced disappearance since then.
More than 90 days have passed since Abdul Rahman’s enforced disappearance, prompting United Nations human rights experts to issue a statement on March 5, 2025, urging the UAE authorities to immediately disclose his whereabouts and clarify his fate. The experts warned that "our worst fears regarding the serious human rights violations Mr. Al-Qaradawi might face if extradited to the UAE appear to have been realized," reminding them of their previous call to the Lebanese government to refrain from carrying out the extradition request.
Abdul Rahman’s case embodies a recurring pattern of transnational repression, where countries collaborate to silence dissenting voices beyond their borders. What has happened to him is not an isolated incident but part of a systematic practice targeting human rights defenders, writers, and dissidents in the region.
On December 28, 2024, Lebanese authorities arrested Abdul Rahman in response to an extradition request from the UAE, on charges related to spreading false information and inciting chaos due to a video he posted while in Syria, criticizing Egyptian, UAE, and Saudi policies. Despite his lawyer’s appeal against the extradition request, Abdul Rahman was denied the opportunity to contest it, and on January 8, 2025, he was flown out on a private plane without any legal proceedings.
On January 8, 2025, Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi was transported by private jet to the UAE, where he was immediately detained and forcibly disappeared. His current location remains unknown. Abdul Rahman has been deprived of regular contact with his family or legal counsel. On February 20, he was allowed a single one-minute phone call with his family. A government-appointed lawyer has been assigned to represent him without his consent, while his international lawyers have been unable to contact him.
The extradition and detention of Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi constitute a blatant violation of international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (which guarantees freedom of expression and protection from arbitrary detention) and the Convention Against Torture (which prohibits extradition to countries where individuals are at risk of torture). These actions by the UAE demonstrate a clear disregard for its international obligations. Reports indicate that the UAE authorities intend to begin prosecuting him on charges related to cybercrimes, despite no formal charges being announced or guarantees of fair legal proceedings or trial rights.
The growing trade and diplomatic relations between the UAE, the United Kingdom, and the European Union — including the UK-UAE sovereign investment partnership and the EU-UAE cooperation agreement — impose a responsibility to respect core human rights values.
These partnerships are not merely economic; they reflect a shared commitment to justice, transparency, and human rights. Silence on this issue risks sending the message that these principles are secondary to strategic interests, thereby encouraging further transnational repression.
When individuals are allowed to be forcibly disappeared, detained arbitrarily, and deprived of fair trial guarantees without accountability, it undermines the credibility of the international human rights system. Immediate diplomatic action is urgently needed to ensure Abdul Rahman’s fundamental rights are respected and to guarantee his safe return to his family.
Therefore, we urge you to take immediate action, including:
Demanding the disclosure of Abdul Rahman’s whereabouts, detention conditions, and ensuring his safety.
Enabling him to communicate with his family and international lawyers.
Ensuring he receives a fair trial and full legal rights.
Allowing regular consular visits by the Turkish embassy, as he holds Turkish citizenship.
Calling for his immediate and unconditional release and return to Turkey, where he resides with his family.
We call on you to employ all available diplomatic means, including both public and private consultations, to use trade and diplomatic pressure tools, and to coordinate efforts with international partners to secure the immediate and unconditional release of Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi. Your response to this appeal will reflect your commitment to the principles of justice and the rule of law and will serve as a crucial test in confronting the phenomenon of transnational repression or complicity by silence.
Egypt Wide for Human Rights
Egyptian Front for Human Rights
Democratic Bureau
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network
Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession
Arab Center for Legal and Social Studies
Legal Agenda
Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights
Egyptian Human Rights Forum
European-Saudi Organization for Human Rights
World Organization Against Torture
Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms
Palestinian Lawyers’ Rights Association
Red Word for Human Rights and Freedom of Expression
Tahrir Institute for Middle East Studies
Andalus Center for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies
Cedar Center for Legal Studies
Gulf Center for Human Rights
Middle East Center for Democracy
Sinai Center for Human Rights
Access Center for Human Rights
UAE Detainee Advocacy Group
Muna Human Rights Group
Refugee Platform in Egypt
Law and Democracy Support Foundation
Fair Square
People in Need Organization
Union for Democracy Organization
Amnesty International
PEN International
Human Rights Watch
Humana for Human Rights and Civil Participation
Nijda for Human Rights
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