Yusril: Palestinian Deported to Cyprus Involved in Transnational Crime

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stated that the deportation of Palestinian national and Interpol fugitive Abdul Karim Raeq Miqdad to Cyprus is unrelated to Indonesia’s stance on Palestine. During a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday (23/7/2026), he explained that the move was part of international law enforcement cooperation, as the individual was involved in transnational organised crime. “This is to address reports that need to be corrected, suggesting that the Indonesian government is not committed to supporting the Palestinian struggle for independence,” Yusril said. He stressed that the government’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle has been proclaimed since 1948 and has never ceased to this day. The Indonesian government, he continued, will continue to fight by all means to assist the independence of the Palestinian people and the establishment of a Palestinian state. The Coordinating Minister explained that the case involving Abdul Karim is an individual matter concerning a Palestinian citizen involved in crimes in another country, specifically Cyprus. For this reason, he noted that the Cypriot police requested Interpol to arrest Abdul Karim for law enforcement purposes. “So we want to explain that individual matters should not be conflated with state affairs,” he said.