Tunisia’s Muslim Brotherhood facing terrorism accusations… A return to the tools of takfir and incitement
The Tunisian political scene is witnessing a dangerous escalation that has brought back to the forefront some of the most controversial tools used by the Muslim Brotherhood.
This comes after terrorism and political assassination accusations against them turned into a spark that ignited a systematic campaign of takfir (religious excommunication) and incitement targeting the left-wing politician and secretary-general of the Unified Democratic Patriots Party, Mongi Rahoui, according to a strongly worded party statement.
The party, known for its confrontational stance toward the Ennahdha movement, argued that what Rahoui is facing cannot be separated from the Brotherhood’s tendency to demonize opponents, transform political disagreement into an existential battle, and rely on accusations of betrayal and takfir, often accompanied by implicit incitement to violence. These practices, it stressed, are not new, but deeply rooted in the movement’s behavior since it rose to power.
The party called on Tunisian authorities, particularly the public prosecution, to provide immediate protection for its secretary-general. It also held the parties behind these incitement campaigns fully responsible for any possible attack, in a warning that reflects the seriousness of the climate created by such campaigns and recalls painful experiences Tunisia has lived through in the past decade.
From political dispute to ideological incitement
According to the statement, the campaign targeting Rahoui is led by actors affiliated with the Ennahdha movement. It began immediately after his latest media appearance, during which he openly accused Brotherhood leaders of involvement in terrorism cases, assassinations, and sending fighters abroad, rejecting the description of these figures as “political prisoners.”
The party said that whenever the Brotherhood is confronted with political or legal accountability concerning the “secret apparatus,” the “black room,” or assassinations, it resorts to takfirist and inflammatory rhetoric as a way to evade responsibility, blending issues of freedoms with terrorism-related files, thus confusing public opinion and distorting the course of justice.
Memory of assassinations… a wound yet to heal
The statement explicitly recalled the period when Ennahdha and its allies governed, pointing to the consequences of past incitement campaigns that led to terrorism and political assassinations that shook the Tunisian state. Among them were the assassinations of Chokri Belaid on February 6, 2013, and Mohamed Brahmi on July 25 of the same year, in addition to casualties among security and military forces.
The party argued that these events cannot be separated from the rhetoric that paved the way for them, warning that tolerating current takfir campaigns could once again open the door to similar violent scenarios.
The Brotherhood and ISIS… similarity in method, not in name
In an unprecedented escalation, the party asserted that the nature of the Muslim Brotherhood “has not changed,” claiming that their practices do not fundamentally differ from those of ISIS and other extremist groups: using takfir as a political tool, relying on external powers, and working to undermine the nation-state whenever it conflicts with their ideological project.
It added that when issues of national sovereignty, foreign interference, or legal accountability arise, the Brotherhood rushes to create artificial confrontations based on provocation, incitement, and social division instead of engaging in responsible political debate.
Rahoui in the crosshairs
The campaign of demonization against Mongi Rahoui, the statement said, is part of a broader pattern of targeting figures who have confronted the Brotherhood — from Basma Khalfaoui, widow of Chokri Belaid, to Mbarka Brahmi, widow of Mohamed Brahmi, and finally Rahoui himself, one of the most vocal advocates for uncovering the truth behind political assassinations and Ennahdha’s alleged secret apparatus.
Observers believe that coordinated online networks affiliated with Ennahdha have been leading a campaign against Rahoui for weeks, spreading rumors, takfir, and incitement in an effort to silence him after he described Rached Ghannouchi as a “common criminal” and refused to provide any political cover for leaders accused of corruption or terrorism.
A clear warning
The party concluded its statement by stressing that any harm that might befall Mongi Rahoui would be the full responsibility of those behind the incitement campaigns. It urged the state to act before it is too late and avoid repeating past mistakes, when tolerance of takfir rhetoric resulted in violence and assassinations whose consequences are still felt today.
