US citizen detained in UAE faces extradition to Egypt

An Egyptian-American national detained while visiting the United Arab Emirates fears he will be extradited to Egypt for criticising authorities there ahead of the country hosting the COP27 climate conference last month, his fiance said on Sunday.

The UAE, a close ally of Egypt, arrested Sherif Osman, who resides in the United States, on Nov. 6 at the request of an Arab League entity responsible for coordinating law enforcement and security matters, a UAE official confirmed.

The United States was aware of Osman's arrest in Dubai, a US State Department spokesperson said, and was "watching his case closely and providing appropriate consular support".

Osman had posted a YouTube video on Oct. 31 criticising Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and calling for peaceful protests in Egypt on Nov. 11, when U.S. President Joe Biden was attending the COP27 conference in Sharm El Sheikh.

Osman had travelled to the UAE to meet his sister, who lives in Dubai, and his mother who had planned to visit from Egypt.