Egypt-UAE Prisoner Exchange Deal Raises Fears of Political Extraditions
As Egyptian dissident Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi remains forcibly disappeared in Abu Dhabi, concerns grow that the newly approved prisoner exchange agreement could be used to justify his extradition to Cairo.
Watan–The Egyptian Parliament has ignited widespread debate after approving a prisoner exchange agreement with the UAE, a move that coincides with the ongoing enforced disappearance of Egyptian poet and political dissident Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi in Abu Dhabi.
The timing of the agreement has raised suspicions about whether it is being used as a legal cover to facilitate Al-Qaradawi’s extradition to Cairo, where he faces political retaliation for his opposition to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s regime.
Sisi and Bin Zayed: Political Extraditions Under Legal Cover?
The treaty, which consists of 19 articles, outlines the procedures for transferring prisoners between Egypt and the UAE and defines the role of central authorities in the process. However, it lacks safeguards to protect detainees’ rights, raising serious concerns given Egypt’s notorious human rights record.
Observers warn that the agreement could become a tool for persecuting Egyptian dissidents living in the UAE, further escalating fears over the fate of political prisoners who could be extradited under this new legislation.
Al-Qaradawi, who has been forcibly disappeared in the UAE since December 2024, faces the imminent risk of deportation to Egypt within 90 days, according to UAE law. Despite repeated human rights demands for information about his whereabouts, Emirati authorities have provided no updates on his legal status or detention location, fueling speculation that the agreement could be used to justify his extradition to Sisi’s regime.
Human rights activists fear that this agreement will become a political weapon, allowing governments to cloak repression under the guise of legal frameworks—potentially leading to the extradition of opposition figures to countries where they could face torture, mistreatment, and severe rights violations.
With Al-Qaradawi’s fate still unknown, a critical question remains: Is this agreement a legal pretext for settling political scores?
