Call for the immediate release of poet Abdel Rahman Youssef

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, express our strong condemnation of the detention of poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi by Lebanese authorities on December 28, 2024, based on a security cooperation memorandum with the Egyptian authorities. This action represents a grave and alarming example of transnational repression, a systematic practice used to silence dissenting voices and human rights defenders beyond national borders.

Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi was apprehended upon his legal arrival on Lebanese territories coming from Syria based on an extradition request circulated by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers linked to politically motivated charges fabricated in Egypt, such as incitement to destabilize the state and the dissemination of false information. These accusations stem from a series of politicized judicial rulings against him, including a three-year prison sentence for spreading false news and an additional three years for allegedly insulting the judiciary. These rulings exemplify broader repressive strategies employed by Egyptian authorities to stifle opposition voices both domestically and internationally. Such strategies include arbitrary legal prosecutions, terrorism listings, surveillance, smear campaigns, and systematic harassment of dissidents and human rights defenders abroad.

Abdelrahman is at serious risk of torture, enforced disappearance, denial of medical care, and the absence of fair trial guarantees if deported to Egypt. The Egyptian government has a well-documented history of systematically employing torture against political activists and human rights defenders. Prominent organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and UN bodies have extensively documented numerous cases of torture, including the use of electric shocks and severe beatings, which in some instances have resulted in death, as evidenced by the cases of researcher Ayman Hadhoud and Italian researcher Giulio Regeni. Reports further indicate an alarming increase in the use of enforced disappearance as a repressive measure, with deported dissidents subjected to arbitrary detention under unlawful and inhumane conditions.

Additionally, Organizations such as the Egyptian Human Rights Forum, FreedomHouse, and UN bodies have also documented cases of enforced disappearance involving dissidents deported to Egypt from other countries. These individuals were detained immediately upon arrival, with their whereabouts remaining undisclosed for extended periods, exposing them to the risk of torture and ill-treatment. Notable documented cases include the deportation of dissidents from countries such as Kuwait and Austria, where they were returned to Egypt despite human rights appeals to prevent their extradition. They were subsequently held under harsh and unlawful detention conditions, subjected to physical and psychological torture, and deprived of their fundamental rights.

The detention of Abdel Rahman Youssef constitutes a serious abuse of international security cooperation agreements, which are being exploited to pursue political vendettas against dissidents. Moreover, it highlights a dangerous trend where international security mechanisms are misused to infringe on fundamental freedoms and suppress individuals' rights to free expression.

We demand the following:

1. Immediate and unconditional release of poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi by Lebanese authorities.
2. The Lebanese authorities must adhere to their international human rights obligations and refrain from any actions that could lead to Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi’s extradition to Egypt, where he is at risk of political persecution and denied guarantees of a fair trial.
3. We urge the international community and human rights organizations to take urgent action against the practice of transnational repression, including pressuring states that exploit international security frameworks to suppress dissent.

We call for the accountability of states engaging in such practices that violate fundamental freedoms and demand compliance with international human rights standards.

Petition signatories reached more than  500 so far, including organizations and individuals. You can view the full list of signatories through the following link: https://shorturl.at/DtQ9R 

List of organization and political parties: 

Egyptian Human Rights Forum (EHRF)

Refugees Platform

Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms

Sinai Foundation for Human Rights

EgyptWide for Human Rights

Lebanese Center for Human Rights

Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies

Arab Center for the Study of Law and Society

Egyptian Front for Human Rights

Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy

Alexandria Center for Legal Protection

Redress for Human Rights and Freedom of Expression

Egyptian-American Dialogue Center in Washington (www.ceadusa.org)

Cedar Center for Legal Studies

HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement

Egyptians Abroad for Democracy

Ghad El-Thawra Party

Alternative Journalism Syndicate Union

El Nadeem Center

Law and Democracy Support Foundation

Haqqhum - Defending Prisoners of Conscience in Egypt

Justice Matters Netherlands

Arab Foundation for Civil Society and Human Rights Support

Migration and Human Rights Platform

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

International Union of Muslim Scholars

National Rally for Reform and Development (Tewassoul) – Mauritania

International Justice Organization

Egyptian Network for Human Rights

National Assembly Party

Middle East Democracy center (MEDC)

Palestinian Lawyers Association

Access Centre for Human Rights (ACHR)

Najda for Human Rights

European Saudi Organization for Human Rights

Revolutionary Socialists Movement

The Arab Council

Kawakibi Foundation

MENA Human Rights Group

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies

FairSquare