Egyptian Revolutionary Council
Egyptian Revolutionary Council المجلس الثوري المصري | |
|---|---|
| File:Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC) logo and description.jpg | |
| President | Maha Azzam[1] |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Istanbul, Turkey |
| Ideology | Opposition to Abdel Fattah el-Sisi Opposition to military dictatorship (according to itself) Democracy (according to itself)[2] Pro-Muslim Brotherhood[3] Islamism[3] |
| Political position | Big tent |
| Website | |
| http://ercegypt.org/?lang=en | |
The Egyptian Revolutionary Council (ERC) is a Turkey-based Egyptian political organization that was founded in 2014. Describing itself as a group of Egyptian political forces and groups outside of Egypt, the ERC says that it is committed to the right of the Egyptian people to "bread, freedom, social justice and dignity.[4]
The ERC is believed to be connected to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist organization that is banned in several countries, including Egypt. Particular, the ERC strongly opposes the overthrow of the late Mohamed Morsi, has shown strong opposition toward the post-Brotherhood Egyptian government, and has labeled the incumbent President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as a "dictator"; these are views all consistent with the Muslim Brotherhood's official political positions.
Establishment[edit]
The Egyptian Revolutionary Council announced its establishment in August 2014 at the Retaj Royale Hotel in Istanbul.[dead link][5] According to itself, the group believes in the principles of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and seeks to work towards achieving the goals of that uprising. The group states:[6]
“We oppose all aspects of corruption and dictatorship in Egypt. We oppose the military coup and all that ensued from it, and we refuse the interference of the military in political life. We believe in constitutional legitimacy and work for the establishment of a civil state that reflects the will of the Egyptian people and their freedom in choosing their government.”
The ERC has three main bureaus, each with distinct responsibilities: one that oversees the political aspects and international relations, another that documents alleged crimes and violations committed after Morsi was overthrown, and one that is responsible for communicating with media outlets.[7][dead link]
Leadership[edit]
ERC is run by an elected Executive Board of the following individuals:
- Dr. Maha Azzam, President
- Juge Walid Al-Sharhabi, Vice President and Head of the Human Rights and Legal Office
- Dr. Amr Adel, Head of the Political and Economic Office
- Dr. Ahmed Amer, Head of the International Relations Office
- Dr. Mohamed Salah, Head of the Information and Media Office and the Civil Society
- Dr. Farouk Mesahel
- Dr. Soha El-Shikh
Activities[edit]
Maha Azzam has said that the ERC's role is to address the European community to support the group’s mission.[7]
In February 2015, Azzam wrote an open letter to Barack Obama on the occasion of the Countering Violent Extremism summit. In the letter, she argued that an autocratic regime, labeling the presidency of Sisi as such, would lead to the kind of destabilized society that leads to violent extremism.[8]
Ties to Muslim Brotherhood[edit]
The Egyptian Revolutionary Council has strong ties to the Global Muslim Brotherhood. Some ERC leaders have been a part of delegations and conference panels that were composed mostly of Muslim Brotherhood members and leaders. In January 2015, then Secretary General, now Deputy President, Waleed Sharaby and Maha Azzam were part of a delegation of Muslim Brotherhood-aligned leaders that was hosted by the U.S. State Department for meetings about the Muslim Brotherhood's ongoing efforts to oppose the presidency of Sisi.[9][10] Separately, Sharaby has also openly praised Hamas.[10] In February 2015, Maha Azzam was scheduled to speak at a conference titled “Islam and Democracy” hosted by the Cordoba Foundation at which a wide range of Global Muslim Brotherhood leaders were scheduled to speak.[9]
The Egyptian Revolutionary Council was criticized by the Egyptian government as being "another front for the Muslim Brotherhood's international wing" and a strategy by Turkey (whose AKP-led government has been at odds with the Egyptian government since July 2013) to exert pressure on the Egyptian state.[5]
In 2014, Maha Azzam claimed that Muslim Brotherhood members made up less than 20% of the group.[7]
References[edit]
- ↑ Establishment Statement – المجلس الثوري المصري
- ↑ "عمرو قنديل |جمهورية مصر العسكرية – المجلس الثوري المصري".
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "ANALYSIS: The Egyptian Revolutionary Council- A Group Seeking Return Of The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood To Power". 19 February 2015.
- ↑ "Establishment Statement". Egyptian Revolutionary Council-ERC. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Moving-abroad - Al-Ahram Weekly". weekly.ahram.org.eg. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ↑ "Who We Are | المجلس الثوري المصري". Egyptian Revolutionary Council-ERC. Retrieved 2015-07-30.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "MB supporters launch Egyptian Revolutionary Council". Cairo Post. 2014-08-09. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ↑ "Egyptian Revolutionary Council writes to Obama". Middle East Monitor. 2015-02-21. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "US State Department Hosts Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Delegation". The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Watch. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Rossomando, John. "Hamas-Supporting MB Figures Meet With Congress, State Dept". Retrieved 2015-07-30.
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