Levent Kenez/Stockholm
The Turkish government has assured the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) that normalization of ties with Egypt will not adversely affect them, and a delegation of Muslim Brotherhood officials recently met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to reports in the local media.
Since 2013 Erdogan has harshly criticized Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who ousted then-Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, in a military coup, using strong language like “dictator” and “killer” in public. However, Erdogan’s visit to Egypt on February 12 caused unease among members of the Muslim Brotherhood who are living in exile in Turkey. Erdogan said his visit would open a new page in the relations between the two countries and invited President el-Sisi to Ankara in April.
In December 2023 Turkish media reported that Mahmoud Hussein, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood in Istanbul, had his Turkish citizenship revoked, which was interpreted as a message to the Brotherhood. This move was characterized as a gesture from the Turkish side to Egypt ahead of Erdogan’s visit.
The “Istanbul Front” of the Muslim Brotherhood had chosen Hussein to serve as the interim leader of the organization, following the passing of Ibrahim Mounir in November 2022.
Amid allegations that Erdogan has prioritized improving relations with Egypt over support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the government’s reassurances to the Brotherhood have resurfaced in the Turkish media. According to journalist Onur Erkan, Turkish authorities explained that the revocation of citizenship for Mahmoud Hussein and other Muslim Brotherhood leaders who had obtained Turkish nationality through property purchases was due to a procedural error. However, it appears improbable for such a high-ranking Muslim Brotherhood leader to be caught up in such a procedural error.
Nevertheless, the Muslim Brotherhood leaders have filed appeals and the legal process is under way. According to Erkan’s exclusive report, the government provided assurances to the Muslim Brotherhood leaders that the normalization process with Egypt would not affect them. As Erkan reports, Erdogan met with a delegation of Muslim Brotherhood leaders.
Many Muslim Brotherhood figures including Hamas members have settled in Turkey in the last decade, establishing foundations, schools and companies and building networks. The Erdogan government facilitated the fast track approval of residence and immigration status for them, and many later acquired Turkish citizenship and adopted new names.
The Turkish government had previously provided a safe haven for persecuted journalists affiliated with the Brotherhood since the 2013 overthrow of Morsi, who was backed by Turkey. However, in March 2021 Turkish authorities reportedly urged three Istanbul-based Egyptian opposition TV stations to soften their critical political coverage of Egypt’s government. This move coincided with Turkey’s efforts to mend strained relations with Cairo. Management at one of the stations confirmed this request, leading to indirect announcements from the channels indicating compliance, albeit reluctantly, suggesting their submission to Turkish influence. Some media outlets also opted to cease their broadcasts.
Nordic Monitor previously reported that Erdogan remains committed to maintaining his affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood despite the rapprochement with Egypt and the anticipation of financial support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, both of which view the Muslim Brotherhood as a threat.
In September 2023 Erdogan greeted a delegation led by Oussama Jammal, the secretary-general of the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) and a prominent Muslim Brotherhood figure in the United States. Jammal mentioned that they had visited to extend congratulations to Erdogan on his re-election in May, emphasizing that this achievement represented a victory for the entire Muslim world.
During the meeting, Erdogan stressed the crucial importance of the Ummah (global Muslim community) uniting against Islamophobia, intolerance and discrimination, while also urging solidarity in combating these challenges. He further sought USCMO support against anti-Turkey lobbies in the United States. Additionally, Erdogan expressed his hope for stronger ties with the Turkish community in the United States.
President Erdogan on August 8, 2023 received a delegation from the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), a Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated organization, in Ankara. The meeting was attended by Ali Muhyiddin al-Qaradaghi, the secretary-general of IUMS, as well as Ali Erbaş, the head of Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Görmez, chair of the Institute of Islamic Thought and former head of the Diyanet. No information apart from photos of the meeting was shared by the president’s office.
The IUMS, designated as a terrorist organization by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain in 2018, enjoys political protection, diplomatic support and financial aid from Turkey as well as Qatar.
It appears that Ankara is currently limiting the activities of İstanbul-based Muslim Brotherhood members who are causing discomfort for Egypt. However, Ankara continues to maintain relations with Muslim Brotherhood organizations in other countries.
Last November Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood operative Hamid Abdullah Hussein al-Ahmar intensified his lobbying efforts in Turkey to support Hamas. He met with Turkish government officials, lawmakers and Islamist groups, leveraging his connections with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government and President Erdogan. These efforts included meetings with various political parties, including HÜDA-PAR, aligned with the AKP, and notably, a meeting with Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş on November 8 in Ankara.
