DUBAI (Middle East Eye) – The family of disappeared Egyptian poet Abdul Rahman al-Qaradawi have issued a plea to the Emirati government for his release, as he marks 145 days of solitary confinement at an unknown location in the country.
Qaradawi was arrested in Lebanon in January, and extradited to the UAE over a video he posted to social media while visiting Syria, in which he expressed critical views of the Egyptian, Emirati and Saudi authorities.
Both Egypt and the UAE issued extradition requests for Qaradawi, with Lebanese authorities acting on the Emirati warrant on January 8.
Since then, he remains forcibly disappeared in the UAE, with no charges nor an indication about when he will appear in court.
According to Qaradawi’s UK lawyer, Rodney Dixon, since his extradition Qaradawi’s family managed to see him for just 10 minutes on March 23.
“It was a brief and heavily restricted visit,” Dixon told Middle East Eye. 
“They weren’t taken to the place where he is being held and still don’t know where he is imprisoned. Since then, there has been no further contact, despite repeated requests.
“He remains disappeared in the UAE, held in an undisclosed location. He has now been held for over 130 days without charge, without access to a court, and in clear violation of international human rights standards.” 
Dixon reported that while Qaradawi appeared to be physically stable during the visit, “it is impossible to know his true condition” given the heavily restricted nature of the interaction. 
“What is clear is that he is being held in solitary confinement, with no access to the outside world,” he said.
In a statement given to MEE, Qaradawi’s family expressed “deep concern” about his welfare and urged the Emirati authorities “to respect his rights and ensure his safety”.
“Our only goal is to see him safe and back home with his family and daughters where he belongs,” they said, adding that they are working closely with his international legal council to secure his release.