Presidential Pardon Granted
UAE President Pardons Egyptian-Turkish Poet Days After 10-Year Prison Sentence
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Key Points
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The Muslim Brotherhood, whose late spiritual leader was Abdul Rahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi’s father, is designated a terrorist organization by both Egypt and the UAE. The younger Qaradawi had previously worked as a political organizer opposing longtime Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.
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Lebanese authorities detained Qaradawi on December 29, 2024, at the Masnaa border crossing as he entered from Syria, reportedly acting on an Arab Interior Ministers Council notice circulated through Interpol and linked to Egypt’s in-absentia verdict.
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The UAE’s presidential pardon is an act of clemency that reduces or cancels punishment and does not establish that the defendant was innocent; state media said the procedures to implement it had been completed.
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Qaradawi’s father, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, was imprisoned several times in Egypt over alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and later lived in exile in Qatar until his death in 2022.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan pardoned poet Abdul Rahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi just days after a court sentenced him to 10 years in prison and a 200,000 dirham fine ($54,450), according to 5 Pillars UK. The pardon came after al-Qaradawi's August 27 conviction on charges involving cybercrime and alleged threats to public security, though authorities did not explain the specific offenses.
Al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian-Turkish activist and poet, was extradited from Lebanon to the UAE in January 2025 after being arrested at the Syrian border. Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warned the case posed risks of persecution or torture. He also faces a separate five-year sentence in Egypt for spreading false news and inciting violence.
From Lebanon Arrest to UAE Custody in Days
Lebanese authorities detained al-Qaradawi on December 29, 2024, at the Masnaa border crossing as he returned from Syria, News Cord reported. The arrest came after Egypt circulated an Interpol notice through an Arab Interior Ministers Council meeting, based on Egypt's earlier in-absentia conviction. Within weeks, the UAE extradited him and prosecuted him on separate cybercrime charges.
The rapid legal process drew international concern. Yahoo News Malaysia noted that rights advocates questioned whether al-Qaradawi received fair treatment given his family's history and his public criticism of Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia posted online from Syria.
Family Ties to Muslim Brotherhood Shaped His Path
Al-Qaradawi's father, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, was a prominent Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader who was imprisoned multiple times in Egypt and later lived in exile in Qatar until his death in 2022, according to News Cord. Both Egypt and the UAE designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. The younger al-Qaradawi had worked as a political organizer opposing longtime Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak.
Presidential Pardon Does Not Equal Innocence
The UAE's presidential pardon is an act of clemency that reduces or cancels punishment—it does not mean the defendant was innocent or wrongly convicted, 5 Pillars UK explained. State media said implementation procedures had been completed. Officials have not clarified whether the 200,000 dirham fine was also waived by the pardon.
Al-Qaradawi still faces the five-year sentence in Egypt over charges including spreading false news and inciting terrorism. The pardon only addresses his UAE conviction and does not affect Egyptian legal proceedings or potential extradition demands.
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