Egyptian poet and activist Abdel Rahman Yusuf was detained by Lebanese authorities after celebrating in Syria the fall of Bashar al-Assad. His lawyer claims his extradition to Egypt would violate international torture laws. Yusuf, a critic of the el-Sisi government, has garnered both support and criticism for his pro-revolution videos from Syria.
Abdel Rahman Yusuf, an Egyptian poet and vocal critic of the government, was detained by Lebanese authorities upon returning from Syria. He had participated in festivities marking what he termed the fall of Bashar al-Assad. According to his attorney, Mohamad Sablouh, Yusuf is scheduled to face a prosecutor following a lawsuit from Egyptian and Emirati authorities who have requested his extradition. Sablouh emphasized that such an extradition could violate international law, particularly the Torture Convention.
Abdel Rahman Yusuf is the son of prominent Egyptian cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi and has been a fierce adversary of the current Egyptian regime under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Yusuf’s activism is rooted in his support for the 2011 Revolution against former President Hosni Mubarak. His recent activities in Syria included public declarations supporting the Arab Spring and Syrian revolution, which attracted significant attention and backlash on social media, particularly from pro-government entities in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The detention of Abdel Rahman Yusuf in Lebanon highlights the complexities surrounding political dissent and extradition laws in the region. His case exemplifies the ongoing tension between governments seeking to suppress opposition and the rights of individuals under international conventions prohibiting torture. As Yusuf awaits his hearing, the implications of his potential extradition remain a significant concern for human rights advocates.
Original Source: www.middleeasteye.net
