UAE President pardons Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al Qaradawi

Abu Dhabi: In a significant move, UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan granted pardon to Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al Qaradawi, who faced a decade-long prison term and a Dh200,000 fine. The decision was made on Friday, September 4, 2026. Al Qaradawi was convicted by the Cybercrime Circuit of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal on August 27 for the alleged offences.

The court sentenced him to 10 years in prison along with the financial penalty. Following the implementation of the presidential pardon, UAE authorities have taken necessary steps to bring Al Qaradawi into custody from Lebanon. Abdul Rahman Al Qaradawi, an Egyptian poet and political activist, is the son of the late Islamic scholar Yusuf Al Qaradawi.

He gained fame for his criticism of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and became a leading figure in Egypt's 2011 uprising. Al Qaradawi also played a role in Mohamed ElBaradei’s political campaign and later backed Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh’s presidential bid in 2012. His works often delve into political and social matters.