Yusril Confirms Palestinian Abdul Karim Will Not Be Handed Over by Cyprus to Israel

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has provided clarification to several Islamic mass organisations at the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) office regarding the case of Abdul Karim Raeq Miqdad. Abdul Karim is a foreign national with a Palestinian passport who was arrested by the Indonesian National Police based on an Interpol red notice and subsequently deported to Cyprus. Following his deportation, various narratives emerged in public discourse and on social media, including information that Cyprus would hand Abdul Karim over to Israel. Yusril stated the government needed to clarify that Abdul Karim’s arrest was not related to activism for the Palestinian struggle or humanitarian efforts in Gaza, but rather a terrorism case. He deemed the issue sensitive because it did not align with the facts. Under Interpol statutes, a fugitive who has been surrendered to the requesting country cannot be transferred to a third country. “So it is impossible for him to be handed over by Cyprus to Israel,” Yusril said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta. “In fact, the Indonesian government has also received telegraphic communication from the Cypriot side stating they have no intention of handing this person over to Israel because he will be prosecuted in their own country.” To ensure this, Yusril summoned the Cypriot Ambassador to Indonesia and secured a commitment that Cyprus does not intend to surrender the individual to Israel. Yusril explained the government followed all procedures for surrendering a wanted person requested via an Interpol red notice. He also addressed the choice of deportation over extradition, noting Indonesia has no extradition treaty with Cyprus. “We carried out the deportation because it was at the request of Interpol,” he said. He stressed that investigations found no evidence Abdul Karim is a cleric or an activist for Palestine or Gaza. “Firstly, Miqdad is not a cleric. He is an ordinary person, aged 41,” he said. “Secondly, it was claimed he is a humanitarian activist in Palestine or Gaza. It turns out he has been living in Indonesia for three years, and we detected no humanitarian activities carried out in Gaza.” Separately, the National Police’s International Relations Division stated Abdul Karim is affiliated with a terror network whose members were previously arrested in Malaysia. Brigadier General Untung Widyatmoko, Secretary of the NCB Interpol Indonesia, refuted claims the individual is a religious figure or Palestinian activist. He emphasised that an Interpol red notice would not be issued for matters related to religion or politics. Untung said the red notice was requested by Cyprus in May 2026 following a bomb explosion in Nicosia and was officially issued by Interpol on 10 June 2026. The individual was later detected entering Indonesia from Kuala Lumpur. The deportation was carried out because Abdul Karim was deemed a potential security threat and as part of Indonesia’s obligations as an Interpol member.