**Title: UAE President Grants Pardon to Egyptian Dissident-Poet Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi**
**Date: September 5, 2026**
Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian opposition activist and poet, has received a presidential pardon from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This decision comes shortly after al-Qaradawi was sentenced to ten years in prison by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal’s Cybercrime Division on August 27, 2026, for charges related to “engaging in activities that aim to stir and undermine public security.”
Al-Qaradawi, who is the son of the late Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a prominent figure in the Sunni Muslim community and a supporter of the 2011 Arab Spring, was arrested in Lebanon in December 2024. Following his arrest, he was extradited to the UAE in January 2025, where he faced legal proceedings that culminated in his recent sentencing.
The UAE’s state news agency, WAM, reported on the pardon issued by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stating that “the necessary procedures have been taken to implement the presidential pardon.” However, it remains unclear whether al-Qaradawi has been released from custody following the pardon announcement.
Al-Qaradawi's case has drawn significant attention from human rights organizations and United Nations experts, who have expressed concerns regarding his detention. They argue that his arrest was primarily a result of his exercise of free speech, a right that is often suppressed in various regions of the Middle East. His family had previously warned that extraditing al-Qaradawi to any nation that sought his return could endanger his life, highlighting the precarious position of political dissidents in the region.
The pardon reflects a complex interplay of political dynamics within the UAE and its broader relations with Egypt, where al-Qaradawi is wanted by authorities. His father, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, was a controversial figure who had a substantial influence on Islamic thought and was known for his vocal opposition to various regimes in the Arab world, including that of Egypt.
As the situation develops, the implications of al-Qaradawi's pardon may resonate beyond his personal circumstances, potentially affecting the discourse surrounding freedom of expression and human rights in the UAE and the region at large.