Fear that US-Egypt citizen will be tortured if extradited to Egypt

The family of an American-Egyptian citizen who was detained whilst visiting family in the UAE fears he will be extradited to Egypt because he criticised human rights abuses in the country.

If Sherif Osman, a former military officer, is extradited, it is likely he will be tortured. He was arrested outside a restaurant in Dubai on 6 November by plain clothes police officers.

Sherif’s family were informed six hours later that he was in the police headquarters in Dubai and he is now being held in Dubai Central Prison.

Egypt systematically tortures political prisoners as retribution for speaking out against the government. It also regularly withholds a/twitetrdequate medical care to the point that inmates have died.

An Emirati official told Reuters last week that authorities were preparing an extradition file after Egypt requested Sherif be detained for speaking negatively against the government.

In a YouTube video from 31 October Sherif calls for peaceful protests against the Egyptian government to coincide with Joe Biden’s visit to the COP27 protests in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Rights groups believe it is likely that his calls to protest on 11/11 are the reason for his arrest.

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Updated on 6 December 2022 at 10:00 GMT to remove mentioned of Interpol Red Notices as none had been issued for Sherif’s arrest.