The British newspaper The Guardian has published an extensive report on November 1, 2025, covering the case of Egyptian-Turkish poet and writer Abdulrahman Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who has been detained in the United Arab Emirates for nearly a year due to a social media post.
According to the report, Qaradawi’s legal representatives have submitted a formal complaint to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, calling for an investigation into Lebanon’s involvement in arresting and extraditing him to the UAE — despite him being neither a Lebanese nor an Emirati national.
The report states that Qaradawi has been held in prolonged solitary confinement for more than ten months, in an undisclosed location, without access to sunlight, fresh air, legal representation, or any formal charges. His lawyers argue that these detention conditions amount to torture and inhumane treatment.
The extradition — which took place despite objections from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International — has raised serious concerns regarding potential violations of international human rights law. Amnesty International previously warned that Qaradawi could face torture if transferred to the UAE.
International human rights lawyer Rodney Dixon told The Guardian that the Lebanese authorities bear a continuing legal responsibility to correct the wrongdoing committed by the previous government and must take action to secure Qaradawi’s safe return.
UN experts have also expressed deep concern about the case, stating that earlier fears of grave human rights violations now appear to be justified.
Qaradawi’s family told The Guardian:
“It has been nearly a year since Abdulrahman was taken from us. The thought of him being held alone, without sunlight, fresh air, or legal rights is heartbreaking. We will not stop until he is home again, surrounded by his family, reading us one of his poems.”
Human rights advocates say the case sets a dangerous precedent in the region — where cross-border repression may be used to silence critical voices and punish individuals for expressing their opinions online.
???? Read the full article on The Guardian:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/01/un-torture-expert-investigate-lebanon-egyptian-turkish-poet???????
