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DUBAI (Reuters) – An Egyptian-American nationwide detained whereas visiting the United Arab Emirates fears he shall be extradited to Egypt for criticising authorities there forward of the nation internet hosting the COP27 local weather convention final month, his fiance mentioned on Sunday.
The UAE, a detailed ally of Egypt, arrested Sherif Osman, who resides in america, on Nov. 6 on the request of an Arab League entity accountable for coordinating legislation enforcement and safety issues, a UAE official confirmed to Reuters on Thursday.
The official mentioned Emirati authorities had been working to safe “requisite authorized documentation required in getting ready the extradition file”, with out specifying to which nation or if a particular extradition request had been made.
Osman’s fiance, Saija Virta, mentioned he was detained outdoors a restaurant in Dubai, the place she was with him, and was informed by the general public prosecution that Egypt had requested the detention on fees together with “talking negatively towards authorities establishments”.
Egyptian authorities haven’t issued any statements on the case, first reported by the Wall Road Journal, and didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark.
The US was conscious of Osman’s arrest in Dubai, a U.S. State Division spokesperson mentioned on Thursday, and was “watching his case intently and offering acceptable consular assist”.
Osman had posted a YouTube video on Oct. 31 criticising Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and calling for peaceable protests in Egypt on Nov. 11, when U.S. President Joe Biden was attending the COP27 convention in Sharm El Sheikh.
“He (Osman) tells me he’s being handled nicely…(however) we’re all very shocked and traumatized,” Virta, who’s Finnish-American, informed Reuters, saying she spoke to him on Sunday.
“I wish to ask for diplomatic intervention as a result of… I do not assume he would get a good trial in Egypt,” she mentioned.
Osman’s fiance mentioned she had travelled to the UAE with him to satisfy his sister, who lives in Dubai, and his mom who had deliberate to go to from Egypt.
Virta, who left Dubai on Nov. 16 to return to work in america, mentioned Osman had solely on Wednesday been in a position to signal energy of legal professional for a lawyer to entry his file.
The UAE official had mentioned the UAE “strictly adheres to all internationally accepted requirements” in detention circumstances together with common consular entry and authorized council.
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