Yusril: Deported Palestinian Abdul Karim Was Not an Activist or Cleric

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stated that Palestinian national Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad was deported to the Republic of Cyprus due to legal problems. Yusril emphasised that Abdul Karim was neither an activist nor a Palestinian cleric. “We have coordinated with the Palestinian Ambassador. Based on the investigation conducted, the person concerned is not a cleric or a humanitarian activist. During his stay in Indonesia, he carried out activities as an ordinary citizen running a business,” Yusril said in a statement on Wednesday (22/7/2026). Yusril previously held an audience with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Nicholas Panayiotou. The meeting discussed the deportation process of Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad, which was carried out by the Indonesian Government at the request of the Cypriot Government through the Interpol mechanism. Yusril explained that Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with the Republic of Cyprus. Therefore, the mechanism pursued was deportation based on an official request from the Cypriot Government after Interpol issued a Red Notice against Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad. “The deportation was carried out because Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with the Republic of Cyprus. The request was submitted through Interpol, which had issued a Red Notice against the person concerned after going through a verification process in accordance with applicable regulations,” said Yusril. Yusril revealed that the Cypriot Government had sufficient preliminary evidence and had named Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad as a suspect for alleged criminal offences in Cyprus. He mentioned that communication between the Cypriot Police and the Indonesian National Police had been ongoing since 21 May 2026, long before the Red Notice was issued on 16 July 2026. After the Red Notice was received by NCB-Interpol Indonesia, the deportation process was immediately carried out on 17 July 2026. The Cypriot Government then sent a special aircraft with a police escort to pick up the individual in Jakarta. Yusril added that Interpol has a very strict mechanism before issuing a Red Notice. One of the main requirements is to ensure that the case is not related to religious, political, human rights, or military issues. “Interpol has a very strict mechanism before issuing a Red Notice. After going through the examination process, this case was declared a purely criminal matter, thus becoming the basis for Indonesia to respond in accordance with international cooperation mechanisms,” he explained. Regarding the issue that Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad would be handed over to Israel upon arrival in Cyprus, Yusril stressed that the Indonesian Government had requested a direct guarantee from the Cypriot Government. The Cypriot Ambassador gave a commitment that the individual would not be handed over to a third country because this contradicts the principles of the Interpol Statute. “I have requested direct confirmation from the Cypriot Government. They guarantee that the person concerned will not be handed over to any third country because this is contrary to the provisions applicable in the Interpol mechanism,” he asserted. Yusril stressed that Abdul Karim’s case is an individual matter and does not undermine Indonesia’s diplomatic commitment. “Indonesia’s commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people has never changed since 1948. The case of Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad is an individual criminal case that falls under the jurisdiction of another country, so it must not be linked to Indonesia’s political stance towards Palestine,” concluded Yusril.