UAE President pardons Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al Qaradawi

Abu Dhabi: UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has pardoned Abdul Rahman Yusuf Al Qaradawi, who was sentenced last month to 10 years in prison and fined Dh200,000.

The pardon was issued on Friday, September 4, 2026.

The Cybercrime Circuit of the Abu Dhabi Federal Court of Appeal convicted Al Qaradawi on August 27 of the offences brought against him and sentenced him to 10 years in prison, in addition to the Dh200,000 fine.

The necessary procedures have been taken to implement the presidential pardon.

Al Qaradawi is an Egyptian poet and political activist and the son of the late Islamic scholar Yusuf Al Qaradawi. He became known for his opposition to former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and emerged as a prominent voice during Egypt’s 2011 uprising. He was also involved in Mohamed ElBaradei’s political campaign and later supported Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh’s 2012 presidential bid. His poetry has frequently addressed political and social issues.