The Arab Council expresses its strong condemnation of the extradition of Egyptian-born, Turkish-national poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi by the State of Lebanon to the United Arab Emirates. This unprecedented move constitutes a blatant violation of human rights, international treaties, and Lebanese laws.

The Arab Council holds the Lebanese Prime Minister fully responsible for this dangerous decision, which undermines the sovereignty, dignity, and image of the Lebanese state before its people and the world.

It also holds the United Arab Emirates fully accountable for any violations of Mr. Abdel Rahman Al-Qaradawi’s physical integrity, as well as any potential torture or ill-treatment. We call on international human rights organizations to intervene immediately to ensure his safety.

The Arab Council urges Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to intervene immediately to secure the release of Mr. Abdel Rahman Al-Qaradawi, as he holds Turkish citizenship.

The Arab Council believes that this case exemplifies the collaboration of Arab regimes in suppressing freedoms and persecuting opponents, rather than their cooperation and solidarity in repelling external aggression against the nation and in achieving peace, development, and prosperity in their respective countries. It affirms that this collective conspiracy by regimes against their people cannot continue for much longer, and that popular anger will sweep away all entities that fail to learn the lessons of Syria and do not heed the lessons of history.

On behalf of the Arab Council
President Moncef Marzouki