Indonesia Deports Palestinian Citizen Over Criminal Case

Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the deportation of Palestinian citizen Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad was strictly a criminal matter. Ministry spokesperson Nabyl Achmad Mulachela emphasized that this action does not alter Indonesia's unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people's struggle for independence.

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It is important to note that Indonesia's stance in supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people has never changed.

Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra further elaborated, denying reports that Miqdad was a cleric or humanitarian activist. Investigations revealed Miqdad, who had been in Indonesia for three years, is married to an Indonesian citizen and has children. He was reportedly involved in business activities, not religious or humanitarian work in Gaza as some reports suggested.

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This issue is purely a matter unrelated to our relationship with Palestine, but it is a criminal issue.

The deportation to Cyprus was executed according to legal procedures, according to Brigadier General Untung Widyatmoko of Interpol Indonesia. He confirmed that Interpol Nicosia had issued a red notice against Miqdad on June 10, 2026, for terrorism charges in Cyprus. Widyatmoko stressed that Interpol does not issue red notices for cases related to politics, religion, human rights, military, or race, underscoring the criminal nature of the charges.

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There are still conflicting reports stating that Abdul Karim is a cleric.