Iyad el-Baghdadi
Iyad el-Baghdadi is a Palestinian-Norwegian writer and human rights activist based in Oslo. Born on June 17, 1977, in Kuwait, he grew up in the United Arab Emirates and later became a refugee in Norway, gaining Norwegian citizenship in 2023. He founded the Kawaakibi Foundation and co-hosts the Arab Tyrant Manual podcast. He writes about policy, religion, radicalization, and human rights, and he is best known for his work during the Arab Spring.
His family has a long history of displacement. His father, Ismael, was born in Jaffa, and, after the Nakba, the family moved first to Egypt and later to the United Arab Emirates in 1970. Iyad was raised in the Emirates and lived in Ajman before being deported to Malaysia in 2014. Before becoming a public activist, he worked as a computer programmer and startup consultant. He experienced radicalization and later deradicalization between 2003 and 2007 and has since studied why people become radicals and how to prevent it.
During the Arab Spring in 2011, el-Baghdadi used Twitter to report on the Egyptian revolution, translating Arabic statements, chants, and videos into English. His translations and commentary helped spread information about the protests. A widely viewed YouTube video of Asmaa Mahfouz calling for protests in Tahrir Square—translated by him—was seen by millions and is credited with energizing demonstrations that contributed to the fall of Hosni Mubarak.
In 2014, el-Baghdadi was deported from the United Arab Emirates with no formal charges. He was given a choice between Malaysia or indefinite detention and arrived in Malaysia on May 13. He stayed in Kuala Lumpur airport for a time before obtaining a Palestinian passport and moving to Norway in October 2014 to seek asylum. He welcomed a son on June 17, 2014, and spent months in a Norwegian refugee camp before settling. He has spoken openly about suffering PTSD after the deportation and later finding recovery, including through psychedelic therapy.
In 2021, he co-authored The Middle East Crisis Factory with Ahmed Gatnash. The book argues against single-cause explanations for the region’s crises, instead pointing to a mix of terrorism, tyranny, and foreign intervention. It calls for empowering local activists, limiting autocrats, and keeping young people hopeful, while supporting a one-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians living as equal citizens in one country.
El-Baghdadi is a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights and argues against both tyranny and violence. He supports a one-state solution and believes that true change requires respect for human rights and inclusion. He co-founded the Kawaakibi Foundation and helped create The Jamal Khashoggi Disinfo Monitor to study disinformation. He has appeared in The Dissident, a film about Jamal Khashoggi, and is a fellow of Civita, writing about policy, religion, and radicalization for Norwegian media.
In May 2019, Norwegian security services told him there was a credible threat to his life because of his criticism of Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi’s murder. The threat was reported by the CIA to Norwegian authorities, who put him under police protection.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:41 (CET).