Abdel Rahman Al-Qaradawi thanks Turkey after UAE release

Egyptian poet Abdel Rahman Youssef Al-Qaradawi has issued a video message expressing gratitude to Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for their efforts in resolving his detention crisis in the United Arab Emirates.

Al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, was released following a presidential pardon issued by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He also thanked the UAE leadership for responding to mediations and issuing the pardon. Al-Qaradawi stated that his principles remain unchanged and noted that he did not experience any physical or verbal abuse during his detention.

The legal case involved a conviction by the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal's cybercrime circuit on August 27, which sentenced him to 10 years in prison and a fine of approximately $54,000 for unspecified crimes. The UAE had previously announced receiving Al-Qaradawi from Lebanon in January 2025 following a request from the General Secretariat of Arab Interior Ministers.