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The imminent extradition of Abdulrahman al-Qaradawi to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sparked widespread concerns among human rights organisations and activists after Lebanon announced it would be handing him over to the Emirates.

As he was taken to Beirut airport on Wednesday afternoon, activists fear that the 53-year-old could suffer the same tragic fate as Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who wasÌýbrutally murdered in 2018.

Egyptian journalist and TV presenter Osama Gaweesh has voiced grave fears over Qaradawi's safety and the broader implications of his extradition.

"We are concerned about another Jamal Khashoggi happening. The torture process could already be happening inside the aircraft by Egyptians and Emirates officials,"ÌýGaweesh told °®Âþµº.

Gaweesh currently faces persecution for his criticism of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s government and has been put on Egypt’s terrorist list.

"Abdul Rahman will face forced disappearance. We will ask about his whereabouts, and then maybe they will record him admitting some fake accusations. There is a real danger on his life," he warned.

Lebanese authorities arrested the son of influential Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi after recording a video of himself at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus during a visit to Syria.

In the footage, he appeared celebrating the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and criticised the UAE, Egyptian and Saudi Arabian governments.

On 28 December, Lebanon, despite having no formal extradition agreement with the UAE, complied with the request for his deportation.

Gaweesh argued that the move was part of a coordinated effort to stifle dissent and "consolidate power" in the Gulf.

Like many activists who sought refuge away from the Middle East, al-Qaradawi holds Turkish citizenship and lives with his family in Istanbul.

He was a long-time critic of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and has also criticised current leader President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, who rose to power after a coup in 2013.

His sister, Ola Al-Qaradawi, has spent four years arbitrarily detained in Egypt on what human rights organisations have branded "bogus terrorism-related charges".

Gaweesh claimed that his extradition to the UAE contradicts international standards, as Turkey's government has consistently advocated for the protection of its citizens abroad. "Turkey gave him citizenship by presidential decision, and now they are allowing this to happen. It’s very bad," he says.

Human rights groups have also condemned the move as a clear violation of al-Qaradawi’s rights.

The Geneva-based MENA Rights Group expressed alarm over the extradition process, urging authorities to reconsider the decision. The group has also highlighted the role of the Emirati-owned RoyalJet, which reportedly flew al-Qaradawi from Beirut to Abu Dhabi.

Haydee Dijkstal, a lawyer representing al-Qaradawi’s family, confirmed that the activist had gone on a hunger strike to protest the extradition.

Amnesty International and the Egyptian Network for Human Rights have both raised alarm about the potential for torture and ill-treatment upon al-Qaradawi’s arrival in the UAE.

The country, notorious for their poor conditions, has been accused of numerous human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention and torture.

"Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi’s arbitrary detention came after he made comments critical of the Emirati, Saudi Arabian and Egyptian authorities and the requests for his extradition are believed to be based on the legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of expression," said the Amnesty’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, Sara Hashash.

"Criticising the authorities is not a crime. If returned to Egypt, Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi would be at real risk of enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, and unfair trial leading to prolonged unjust imprisonment. He would also be at risk of arbitrary detention and other human rights violations if he is returned to the UAE."