From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 4, 2026
UAE pardons Egyptian-Turkish poet facing 10 years in jail
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEgyptian-Turkish poet Abdulrahman Youssef al-Qaradawi was pardoned by United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Friday, state news agency WAM says, a week after receiving a 10-year jail sentence following his extradition from Lebanon.
Qaradawi, the son of late senior Muslim cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi, was arrested in Lebanon in December 2024 after making critical comments about the UAE, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian authorities in a video posted online.
He was extradited in January 2025, facing charges of “engaging in activities that aim to stir and undermine public security,” WAM said at the time.
Rights groups and UN experts had called for Qaradawi’s release, saying he had been arrested after exercising his right to free expression.
His father, who died in 2022, was a spiritual guide to the Muslim Brotherhood, championed the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, and drew the ire of rulers in Egypt and the Gulf with his Islamist preaching.
UAE pardons Egyptian-Turkish poet facing 10 years in jail
Qaradawi, the son of late senior Muslim cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi, was pardoned by UAE President after being arresting in Lebanon in December 2024 and extradited to the UAE after making critical comments about the Gulf…— Middle East Online (@MeoNews) September 4, 2026
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