Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

American Avoids Extradition to Egypt After Release From Dubai Detention

American Avoids Extradition to Egypt After Release From Dubai Detention

Sherif Osman, an Egyptian-American dual national, is back in the U.S. after facing possible extradition to Egypt over criticizing the government.
An American citizen who was detained in Dubai for seven weeks and faced possible extradition to his native Egypt over criticizing the government there and calling on Egyptians to protest is back home after he was freed.

Sherif Osman, an Egyptian-American dual national, landed in Boston on Wednesday afternoon in what he called “a miracle” he believes was linked to high-level intervention. He was released soon after three unidentified Emirati officials visited him in Dubai’s central prison on Dec. 22, he said Thursday.

“The checkout [from jail] that normally takes three to five hours, I was actually out on the street in 30 minutes. So it was like, ‘Let him out now, like immediately out,’” Mr. Osman said. “It would have not happened any faster than that without the three angels, no joke.”

When The Wall Street Journal wrote about Mr. Osman’s detention in November, a U.A.E. official said he had been arrested based on a request from an Arab League entity that coordinates among member states on law enforcement and national security. The official said the U.A.E. was working to secure legal documentation required for extradition.

On Thursday, a U.A.E. official said Mr. Osman was released from custody on Dec. 22 “in accordance with bilateral agreements in place and adherence with the U.A.E.’s judicial cooperation framework as per the U.A.E.’s laws.”

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said consular officers were in contact with Mr. Osman during his detention and provided all appropriate consular services.

“We are very pleased by reports that U.S. citizen Sherif Osman made it back safely to the United States to be reunited with his loved ones,” the spokesperson said.

The extradition request was based on charges of incitement against government institutions, said Mr. Osman. He believes recent comments he made online about alleged financial corruption by members of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi‘s family may have sparked the case.

An Egyptian government spokesman didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.

Mr. Osman, 46 years old, has been critical of the Egyptian government for years, appearing in videos in 2019 created by a former Egyptian contractor based in Spain who accused Mr. Sisi and the military of misusing state funds, sparking protests that year in Egypt.

Mr. Osman urged Egyptians to organize demonstrations during a United Nations climate summit in November held in the beach city of Sharm El Sheikh and attended by world leaders, including President Biden.

A former captain in the Egyptian Air Force, Mr. Osman deserted in 2004 while attending a training course in the U.S. and has never returned to Egypt. He earned an advanced degree in Texas and now runs a small business for legalized marijuana cultivation.

He said he had been treated respectfully by Emirati authorities but remains traumatized by the experience. Two days after arriving in Dubai for a family visit, he was taken off the street outside a restaurant by two men wearing civilian clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×