Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra emphasized on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, that the deportation of Palestinian national Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad to the Republic of Cyprus was solely part of international law enforcement cooperation.
According to Yusril, the action has absolutely no connection with Indonesia’s long-standing foreign policy commitment to supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle.
Yusril made the statement after meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Indonesia, Nicholas Panayiotou, at his office on Wednesday.
The meeting focused on the continuation of the deportation process for the fugitive, which was carried out by the Indonesian government following an official request from the Government of Cyprus through the Interpol mechanism.
Yusril explained that Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with Cyprus.
As a result, Abdul Karim’s return was carried out through deportation after Interpol issued a Red Notice upon verifying the criminal case.
“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 issued a Red Notice after completing the verification process in accordance with the applicable regulations,” Yusril said.
Clarifying Abdul Karim’s Identity
During the meeting, Yusril also addressed various conflicting reports regarding Abdul Karim’s identity.
Public narratives had described the fugitive as an Islamic scholar and humanitarian activist from the Gaza Strip.
However, intensive coordination with the Embassy of Palestine in Jakarta refuted those claims.
“We have coordinated with the Palestinian Ambassador. Based on our findings, the individual is neither an Islamic scholar nor a humanitarian activist. During his time in Indonesia, he lived as an ordinary resident engaged in business activities,” Yusril said.
Criminal Evidence
The Government of Cyprus has gathered sufficient preliminary evidence and has officially named Abdul Karim a suspect in a criminal case under its jurisdiction.
Communication between the Cyprus Police and the Indonesian National Police (Polri) has been ongoing since May 21, 2026.
The Interpol Red Notice was issued on July 16, 2026, and the deportation was carried out on July 17, 2026, with transportation arranged by Cypriot authorities using a specially chartered aircraft.
Responding to public concerns that Abdul Karim might later be handed over to Israel, Yusril said the Indonesian government had received written assurances from Cyprus.
The Cypriot ambassador confirmed that Abdul Karim would not be transferred to any third country, as doing so would violate Interpol’s fundamental rules.
Interpol applies strict regulations stipulating that a Red Notice may only be issued for ordinary criminal cases, free from political, religious, military, or human rights considerations.
Yusril stressed that an individual criminal case should not be interpreted as a shift in Indonesia’s diplomatic stance.
“Indonesia’s commitment to the Palestinian people’s struggle has remained unchanged since 1948. The case involving Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad is an individual criminal matter,” Yusril said.***
