Turkey still supports Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, says official
Turkey’s friendly position towards Egypt’s former ruling party the Muslim Brotherhood [MB] has not changed despite reports of a policy shift, a member of the banned group has said.
2 min read
The AKP has been a long time supporter of the MB [Getty]
A leading figure in the MB and Turkish officials have categorically denied that the current Turkish government led by the Justice and Development Party [AKP] has had a change of heart towards the MB and is putting pressure on organisations affiliated with the group operating on its territories to curb their activities.
“The rumours about a Turkish policy change are completely false. The day before yesterday we were in a meeting with several Turkish ministers who told me that relations were strong and are becoming stronger,” said member the Egyptian MB’s parliament in Turkey, Mohammad Emad al-Din.
“The Turkish government’s position is unwavering and has not changed since the military coup happened in Egypt,” Emad al-Din told al-Araby al-Jadeed.
Reports the Istanbul-based pro-MB channel, Misr al-Aan, would stop broadcasting because of pressure from the Turkish government on the satellite station’s owners has recently sparked rumours that the Turkish government was severing relations with the Egyptian MB following the AKP's poor performance in parliamentary elections.
“The reports that Turkey has put pressure on Misr al-Aan to shut are lies and deception,” said the former member of the Egyptian Parliament’s foreign policy committee.
Emad al-Din said a senior member of the AKP told him in a recent meeting with the Anti-Coup Alliance, “Turkey will never cease to support the MB even if obstacles are placed in front of AKP because siding with the venerable and oppressed is a well-founded part of the political principles of modern Turkey established by the AKP.”
The AKP official denied that the Turkish government has received criticism from Saudi Arabia regarding the pro-MB media operating in Turkey after the Kingdom was recently attacked by several guests on these channels.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
“The rumours about a Turkish policy change are completely false. The day before yesterday we were in a meeting with several Turkish ministers who told me that relations were strong and are becoming stronger,” said member the Egyptian MB’s parliament in Turkey, Mohammad Emad al-Din.
“The Turkish government’s position is unwavering and has not changed since the military coup happened in Egypt,” Emad al-Din told al-Araby al-Jadeed.
Reports the Istanbul-based pro-MB channel, Misr al-Aan, would stop broadcasting because of pressure from the Turkish government on the satellite station’s owners has recently sparked rumours that the Turkish government was severing relations with the Egyptian MB following the AKP's poor performance in parliamentary elections.
“The reports that Turkey has put pressure on Misr al-Aan to shut are lies and deception,” said the former member of the Egyptian Parliament’s foreign policy committee.
Emad al-Din said a senior member of the AKP told him in a recent meeting with the Anti-Coup Alliance, “Turkey will never cease to support the MB even if obstacles are placed in front of AKP because siding with the venerable and oppressed is a well-founded part of the political principles of modern Turkey established by the AKP.”
The AKP official denied that the Turkish government has received criticism from Saudi Arabia regarding the pro-MB media operating in Turkey after the Kingdom was recently attacked by several guests on these channels.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
Follow the Middle East's top stories in English at The New Arab on Google News
More In News
![Israeli forces ordered bombed Gaza's Jabalia, ordering residents to leave [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2176418030.jpeg?h=a5f2f23a&itok=srmqckaL)
