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The social media account on X of Egyptian poet and activistÌýAbdulrahman al-QaradawiÌýhas been closed following his extradition to the UAE from Lebanon.

Al-Qaradawi was handed over to the UAE after the Lebanese Cabinet issued an extradition order, despite growing fears that heÌýcould be subjected to abuse or torture in the GulfÌý²õ³Ù²¹³Ù±ð.

°Õ³ó±ðÌýfears intensified when his profile was taken down, with users questioning whether the account was deliberately removed after his deportation or if it was taken down by the platform itself.

According to al-Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammad Sablouh, the poet was detained by Lebanese authorities on 28 December, at the Masnaa border crossing after he returned from a trip to Syria.

The detention was based on an arrest warrant issued by Egyptian authorities. Just days later, on 30 December, the UAE issued its own request for his detention.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the extradition, saying that al-Qaradawi will almost certainly face an unfair trial in the UAE, with significant risks of torture or abuse.

The arrest stems from a social media post made by al-Qaradawi during his visit to Syria in which he criticised the UAE's government. However, HRW's investigation into the post found that it does not constitute a crime under international law.

Despite this, the Lebanese government moved forward with the extradition, prompting widespread concerns about the violation of both international norms and Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Al-Qaradawi is neither a citizen nor a resident of the UAE and was not present in the UAE when the alleged offences occurred.

Ramzi Qais, a Lebanon researcher at HRW, expressed outrage over the arbitrary deportation, claiming:

"Deporting a poet to the UAE simply for peacefully expressing his views on social media undermines Lebanon’s rule of law. The decision to extradite someone for criticising another government sends a dangerous message that Lebanon will tolerate violations of human rights to appease powerful Gulf states - even without any proof of a crime."

Sablouh confirmed that he had appealed the government’s deportation decision before Lebanon’s State Shura Council, the country’s highest administrative court, on January 8, 2025.

However, the Lebanese authorities proceeded with the deportation without waiting for the court’s verdict.

Al-Qaradawi’s case has sparked a wider debate about cross-border repression, particularly as the UAE has faced accusations of silencing dissent. Emirati human rights activists have expressed grave concerns about the poet’s fate, fearing that he will face torture or even enforced disappearance upon arrival in the UAE.

Hamed Al-Shamsi, an Emirati rights activist, condemned the Lebanese decision as "an example of cross-border repression," while academic Ibrahim Al-Haram, an outspoken critic of the UAE government, warned that it sets a dangerous precedent for activists and dissidents in the region.

Al-Haram described the decision as "an unjust move" that blatantly disregards international legal standards, especially given the UAE's notorious record of human rights violations.

"There are real fears for Abdulrahman al-Qaradawi’s life and well-being. The UAE has a long history of arbitrarily detaining and torturing critics, particularly those linked to the Arab Spring uprisings," Al-Haram told Arabi21.

"This decision is emblematic of how the UAE uses its influence to suppress dissent, often leveraging financial and political power to silence voices that challenge the status quo, regardless of the human cost."