UAE President pardons Egyptian-Turkish poet sentenced to 10 years
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed pardons poet Abdulrahman Youssef al-Qaradawi, a week after his 10-year sentence for comments critical of authorities.
The United Arab Emirates has pardoned Egyptian-Turkish poet Abdulrahman Youssef al-Qaradawi, just a week after a court handed him a 10-year prison term. The presidential pardon was announced on Friday by the state news agency WAM.
Qaradawi, the son of the late influential Muslim cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi, was arrested in Lebanon in December 2024. His detention followed the circulation of an online video in which he made critical remarks about authorities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
He was extradited to the UAE in January 2025. At the time, Emirati authorities said he faced charges related to activities aimed at stirring public unrest and undermining security.
His case drew international attention, with rights groups and UN experts urging his release. They argued that he had been detained solely for exercising his right to free expression.
His father, who passed away in 2022, was a prominent spiritual figure associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The elder al-Qaradawi was known for championing the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings and frequently clashed with rulers in Egypt and the Gulf through his Islamist sermons.