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Jordan Refuses to Force Return of Syrian Refugees

A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
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Jordan Refuses to Force Return of Syrian Refugees

A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files
A Syrian refugee boy plays in front of his family tent at the Al Zaatri refugee camp, in the Jordanian city of Mafraq, near the border with Syria, January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed/Files

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi received on Thursday a Russian delegation headed by Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev in Amman.

Safadi and the delegates, who included the Russian deputy foreign minister and defense ministry officials, reviewed Russian ideas on the return of Syrian refugees and efforts exerted to strengthen stability in the southwestern region of Syria, according to a ministry statement.

Safadi stressed that Jordan would continue cooperating with Russia so as to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, one that is accepted by all Syrians, maintain the territorial integrity of the country and guarantee the safe return and resettlement of refugees on their lands.

Earlier on Wednesday, in an interview with Al-Mamlaka reported by AFP, Safadi said that his country would not force Syrian refugees to return home, asserting the kingdom's cooperation with its partners to provide proper conditions for their voluntary return.

He said that Jordan encourages the voluntarily return of Syrians, stressing the need to provide security, political, social and economic grounds to urge the Syrians to go back on their own.

Safadi discussed last Sunday in a phone call with Lavrov the return of refugees.

Jordan wants to create a suitable environment for refugees to go back to their towns and villages so that they can live in freedom, dignity, security and stability, Safadi explained, stressing the Kingdom's keenness on respecting its legal obligations and human rights.

Jordan hosts 667,000 registered Syrian refugees, but the kingdom says the real number, including those undocumented, is almost double. Poor in natural resources and with a faltering economy, Amman says the refugees add an extra burden with the total cost of hosting them exceeding USD10 billion.

The United Nations said last Monday that the return of Syrians to their country is a topic that has been discussed between Moscow and Washington.

“It is up to people to... no one should be forced to return,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
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Cairo May Request Extradition of Qaradawi’s Son from Abu Dhabi

Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)
Umayyad Square in Damascus (Reuters)

As Lebanese authorities proceed with the deportation of Egyptian activist Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, the son of the late cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian source involved in the case told Asharq Al-Awsat that Cairo plans to formally request his extradition from Abu Dhabi once he arrives there.

Controversy has surrounded the case since Lebanon announced that the government had approved the deportation of Qaradawi to the UAE instead of Egypt, where he holds citizenship.

Former Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that citizenship is not an obstacle in extradition cases between countries, saying that a state may decide to extradite a person to another country even if they hold the nationality of a third state, as in the case of Qaradawi’s son.

According to Lebanese sources, the decision to extradite Qaradawi to the UAE is based on a warrant issued by the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. As a member of the council, Lebanon is obligated to comply with the UAE’s request, despite the absence of a direct bilateral extradition agreement between the two countries.

Additionally, the extradition decision was influenced by the fact that the charges against Qaradawi are criminal, not political, as political charges would prevent extradition and instead warrant protection under international conventions.

An Egyptian judicial source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the International Cooperation Office of Egypt’s Public Prosecutor had prepared a comprehensive file containing all rulings issued against Qaradawi to ensure that the extradition request met all legal requirements. This file was sent to Lebanese judicial authorities through official channels. However, Egypt has yet to receive a response from Lebanon, though one is expected in the coming days.

Dr. Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran, a member of the American and European societies for international law, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international law generally allows extradition when the individual is either a citizen of the requesting state, has committed a crime on its territory, or when the requesting state has a direct legal interest in the case.

As Qaradawi is an Egyptian citizen, Egypt “has the legal right to request his extradition under international law and bilateral agreements, provided all legal conditions are met,” Mehran said.

Meanwhile, Qaradawi’s lawyer, Mohammed Sablouh, confirmed plans to file an urgent appeal in Lebanese courts to prevent his client’s extradition, according to Reuters. Mehran explained that extradition laws grant the individual the right to appeal in court, while the requesting states also have the right to challenge decisions.

Mehran suggested that if Qaradawi is ultimately handed over to the UAE, it is highly likely he will later be extradited to Egypt after procedural requirements in the Emirates are fulfilled. This is due to the strong bilateral relations and close security coordination between Egypt and the UAE.

Abdel Rahman al-Qaradawi, who holds dual Egyptian and Turkish citizenship, was arrested in Lebanon on December 28 after returning from Syria. His arrest followed an Interpol red notice issued based on an in absentia ruling by an Egyptian court sentencing him to five years in prison for spreading false news, inciting violence, and terrorism. Before his arrest, Qaradawi appeared in a video filmed at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, where he made remarks considered offensive to both Egypt and the UAE.