Muslim Brotherhood to establish TV channel in Turkey

The channel, called Rabia, will have an Islamist vision. Taking its name from Rabia al-Adawiya Square in Egypt, which turned into a symbol of resistance by the Muslim Brotherhood, the channel's slogan will be “the pulse of freedom,” according to Shiba.

Given the strained relations between Egypt and Turkey due to Ankara's strong reaction to the military coup in Egypt on July 3, the opening of a Muslim Brotherhood TV channel in Turkey is expected to cause further tension between the two countries. Bilateral relations have been at a low since the military regime declared the Turkish ambassador to Cairo persona non grata last month.

Kamal el-Helbawy, the vice-president of the constitutional committee and one of the leading names of the Muslim Brotherhood, argued that a TV channel broadcasting from overseas would become an example of failure for the Muslim Brotherhood. Following the toppling of the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak in 2011, the movement had established a newspaper called Freedom and Justice and a TV channel named Misr 25, in reference to the revolution. However, both outlets were doomed to failure due to a lack of professional staff.

The Egyptian media, which blames Turkey for the protests in Egypt, has argued that the Rabia channel is an operation and initiative of the Turkish intelligence. According a report by the Al-Ahram daily, journalist Neshat al Dihi, who resigned from Turkish state Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) channel, had said on TV that Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan is giving open support to the Muslim Brotherhood by allowing the establishment of such a channel.

Egyptian sociologist Ammar Ali Hasan argued on Arab News on Friday that attempts to set up media outlets abroad would open up the Muslim Brotherhood to abuse by foreign powers.