RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, affirmed Indonesia's commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people remains consistent and unchanged.

He explained that Abdul Karim's deportation was carried out based on the Interpol Red Notice mechanism after the Government of Cyprus designated him as a suspect in connection with alleged criminal activities within the jurisdiction of that country. According to him, the process is an individual criminal case handling and is not related to Indonesia's political stance or support for the Palestinian struggle for independence.

"The Cypriot government has sufficient preliminary evidence and has designated the individual as a suspect for alleged criminal acts committed within the jurisdiction of Cyprus," he said in Jakarta, Wednesday, July 22, 2026.

He explained that communication between the Cyprus Police and the Indonesian National Police had been ongoing since May 21, 2026, before Interpol issued the Red Notice on July 16, 2026. After the notice was received by NCB-Interpol Indonesia, the deportation process was carried out on July 17, 2026, with a special aircraft pickup and police escort from the Government of Cyprus.

Yusril emphasized that the issuance of an Interpol Red Notice follows a strict mechanism and ensures that the case submitted is not related to political, religious, human rights, or military elements. Based on the examination, the case was declared a pure criminal matter, allowing it to be processed according to the applicable regulations.

The Minister also corrected the information that referred to Abdul Karim as a Palestinian cleric or a humanitarian activist in the Gaza Strip. Based on coordination with the Palestinian Embassy in Jakarta, the information was not factual.

"We have coordinated with the Palestinian Ambassador. Based on the investigation conducted, the individual is neither a cleric nor a humanitarian activist. "During his time in Indonesia, he was active as an ordinary citizen running a business," Yusril conveyed.

Hel also denied the issue that Abdul Karim would be handed over to Israel after arriving in Cyprus. According to him, the Indonesian Government has received assurances from the Cypriot Government that the individual will not be handed over to a third country.

"Indonesia's commitment to the struggle of the Palestinian people has never changed since 1948. The case of Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad is an individual criminal matter that falls under the jurisdiction of another country and should not be linked to Indonesia's political stance toward Palestine," he explained.