29 December 2024
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 Interpol notice issued 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:
- Immediate and unconditional release of poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi by Lebanese authorities.
- 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.
- 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.
Organizations 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)
- European Saudi Organization for Human Rights
- Revolutionary Socialists Movement
- The Arab Council
- Kawakibi Foundation
- MENA rights Human Rights
- Individuals :
- Mahienour El-Massry – Lawyer
- Aida Seif El-Dawla – Academic and Egyptian Human Rights Advocate
- Abdelrahman Tarek – Human Rights Defender
- Samar El-Husseiny – Researcher and Human Rights Defender
- Safwan Mohamed – Journalist
- Mohamed Negm – Human Rights Advocate
- Hossam El-Saeed Haggag – Engineer
- Ali Khafagy – Political Activist
- Saif Eldin Abdel Fattah – University Professor
- Mohamed El-Masry
- Hala Mohamed – Engineer
- Ahmed Douma – Poet
- Shaimaa Abou El-Kheir – Journalist and Human Rights Defender
- Mohamed Ali – Dentist
- Hend Mohsen – Journalist and Activist
- Mahmoud Adel – Lawyer and Human Rights Defender
- Ayman Nour – Former Presidential Candidate
- Amal Mohamed Ahmed – Doctor
- Wael Elhammady – Engineer
- Hussein Saleh Ammar – Lawyer and Human Rights Advocate
- Ola Galal – University Professor and Journalist
- Ali Bakry – Journalist
- Mostafa Fouad – Lawyer and Human Rights Researcher
- Ibrahim Ahmed Shakarna – Medical Analyst
- Mohamed Ismail – Marketing Manager
- Ahmed Khair El-Din – Former Banker and Financial Analyst
- Ali Abdullah – Pharmacist
- Omar El-Farouk – Quality Control Manager
- Mai El-Saadany – Lawyer
- Mohamed Ramadan – Lawyer
- Halim Hanish – Lawyer
- Abdelrahman Faris – Journalist
- Mohamed Kamal – Human Rights Researcher
- Yasser Noaman – Political Activist
- Rania El-Sheikh – Journalist
- Sherif Mansour – Human Rights Activist
- Islam Lotfy – Lawyer and Political Activist
- Mostafa El-Asar – Journalist and Human Rights Advocate
- Ramy Shaath – Political and Human Rights Activist
- Yusra El-Gendy – Researcher and Human Rights Defender
- Moataz El-Fegiery – Vice President of EuroMed Rights
- Yehia Assiri – Politician and Human Rights Advocate
- Youssef Ibrahim – Accountant
- Gihan Abou Zeid – Researcher
- Omar Bakir – Electrical Engineer
- Reda Zaid Mohamed – Engineer
- Hassan Sarour – Engineer
- Ahmed Bahiry – Journalist
- Abdelrahman Ezz – Journalist and Translator
- Omar El-Fatairy – Journalist and Human Rights Advocate
- Tamim Heikal – Journalist and Writer
- Hesham Abdallah – Actor and Media Personality
- Mohamed Ali Osman Mahmoud – Imam and Preacher
- Jihad Gamal Omar – Teacher
- El-Tayeb Abou Faris – Teacher
- Maha Mahmoud Aboul-Lail – Lawyer and Legal Researcher
- Karam Yehia – Journalist
- Ahmed Saeed Ghanem – Consultant Surgeon
- El-Hussein El-Badry Mohamed Mostafa – Accountant
- Ahmed Saad – Political Activist
- Eman Ahmed – Master’s Student
- Rasha Wajdan – Coordinator and Secretary-General of Egyptians for Justice
- Samia Hareth
- Said Abbasi
- Omar Tantawy
- Ahmed Samih- Human rights defender and TV host
- Ahmed Hegazy
- Yosreya Khalil – Retired
- Magda Rifaa – Researcher
- Ibrahim Gaber Ibrahim – Researcher
- Nihal Abdel Mageed Abdallah – Teacher
- Mohamed Abbas – Politician
- Sadeq Gamal Abdel Daim – Political Activist
- Amr Heshad – Legal Researcher
- Raad Mohamed – Businessman
- Eman Gad – Human Rights Defender
- Mohamed Fetouh Awad – Doctor
- Sherif Osman – Activist
- Sawsan Gharib – Human Rights Advocate
- Yasser Zoheir El-Mashhour – Engineer
- Amr Waked – Egyptian Actor
- Abdelrahman Gad – Head of the Migration and Human Rights Platform
- Osama Rushdi – Former Member of the National Council for Human Rights
- Asmaa Naim El-Morshedy – Lawyer
- Faten Khater – Writer
- Israa Abdelhafiz – Journalist, Political, and Human Rights Activist
- Ahmed El-Masry – Engineer
- Faiz Saleh Mohamed – Human Rights Activist
- Feras Al-Hanafi – Surgery Consultant
- Ihab Sheeha – Engineer
- Mohamed Salah El-Sheikh – Freelancer
- Emad Stitou – Journalist and Human Rights Defender (Morocco)
- Walid Nasr Abdel Azim – Lawyer
- Shahed Al-Zarie – Dentist
- Ibrahim Heggy – Researcher
- Sara Awad – Human Rights Activist
- Kotb El-Arabi – Journalist
- Mohamed Tawfik Obaidan – Lawyer and Human Rights Advocate
- Mahfouz El-Tawil – Translator
- Assem Alaa
- Sameh Mohamed – Professional
- Abdullah Ashraf – Egyptian Student
- Ghada Naguib – Human Rights Advocate
- Islam Ahmed – Doctor
- Sara Ahmed Ayad – Doctor
- Basma Mostafa – Journalist
- Karim Abdelradi – Human Rights Lawyer
- Mahmoud Ahmed – Lecturer and Political Activist
- Mohamed Nabil Morai – Designer
Petition signatories have reached 455 so far, including organizations and individuals. You can view the full list of signatories through the following link: https://shorturl.at/DtQ9R
