Interim Government Bans Muslim Brotherhood


In the wake of escalating violence across Egypt, sparked by the July 3, 2013 uprising that ousted President Muhammad Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood was officially banned by the interim government on August 23, 2013. The court also ordered the freezing of the Muslim Brotherhood’s assets, and banned all offshoot organizations. The group has faced increasing marginalization and violent repression at the hands of security forces over the course of the summer of 2013, including the forced dispersal of Muslim Brotherhood supporters who were camped outside the Republican Guards club in Cairo. At least 51 protesters were killed in the incident and over 430 more were injured.

Remaining Brotherhood members and supporters who were not arrested in the crackdowns have commented on the organization’s resilience amidst the hostile political environment. Pro-Morsi activist Ahmed Ragheb said that although “people think the Brotherhood can be dissolved through governmental decisions… it has existed for 85 years and survived far worse.” The Brotherhood’s London-based spokesman Abdullah al-Haddad also stated that the organization could not be pushed underground in a tweet stating: “[The Muslim Brotherhood] will continue to be present on the ground. They cannot kill an idea, they tried before and failed — they are trying again and they will fail.”