Erdogan conceals Brotherhood youth within wave of refugees to blackmail Europe

Sarah Waheed

A state of anticipation is being experienced by the Brotherhood youth who fled to Turkey from Egypt, especially with their deteriorating conditions after being abandoned by the group’s leaders, and now they have become a burden for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

There have been many indications that Erdogan would abandon the group’s youth as soon as possible. With Ankara opening its borders for migrants to flow to Greece and European Union countries, the question arises whether Erdogan will push Brotherhood members towards the Greek border.

Over the past several months, a number of Brotherhood youth living in Turkey revealed their deteriorating living conditions due to the group’s leaders abandoning them, which prompted these young people to work in cafes, restaurants, clothing stores, and even the streets.

A report published by Egypt’s Dar al-Iftaa on October 27, 2019 revealed that a large number of Brotherhood youth in Turkey committed suicide due to the difficult economic conditions they were experiencing as a result of financial resources promised to them by the group’s leaders from the donations collected from their centers and charitable societies in different countries, many under fake names.

Opposition youth arrested

Not only did the Brotherhood youth have to deal with their deteriorating economic situation and being abandoned by their leaders, but the Erdogan regime also started arresting a number of them. This was evident on March 18, 2019, when one of the youths broadcasted a video clip on Facebook in which he said, “The Turkish president presents the youth of the Brotherhood as a scapegoat for his own interests, amid the inaction and negligence of the group’s leaders,” adding that the Turkish authorities detained 12 of his colleagues, whose fates are still unknown, as there are no details of the investigations involving them or of where they are imprisoned.

The young Brotherhood member added that the group’s leaders and the Turkish authorities have abandoned them, despite knowing that imprisonment or execution awaits them in Egypt. In a tone of defiance, he said to the Turkish president and the Brotherhood, “We will not allow you to put shackles on our hands and deport us to Egypt to face execution. If you insist on deporting us, we will leave only as corpses.”

Probable deportation

In an article by Turkish political analyst Torogut Oglu in April 2019, he stressed that the internal changes in Turkey, the election victory of the opposition, and the deteriorating economic conditions in the country indicate that Erdogan will abandon Brotherhood groups, considered his right arm within Arab countries.

He also stressed that Turkey would rise up within two years against the Brotherhood youth coming to its lands after Erdogan abandoned them, adding that Turkey will not be able to support the group by 2021 due to the severe blow to the country’s currency.

Opposition voices are demanding that Erdogan get rid of the Brotherhood youth. This could be seen in July 2019, when Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kiliçdaroglu repeatedly called for the expulsion of the Brotherhood from Turkey.

Turkish journalist Jawad Jok told the Reference that Erdogan’s government is currently seeking to get rid of Brotherhood youth, especially after the death of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. He added that it is very likely they could be pushed to Greece, concealed within the wave of deported migrants, especially with the rise of dissenting voices.

Dr. Tarek Fahmy, a professor of political science at Cairo University, confirmed this in a statement to the Reference, explaining that some Development and Justice Party (AKP) figures are calling for Erdogan to review his position on supporting the Brotherhood youth, adding that it cannot be excluded that they will be pushed to Greece within the wave of migrants, especially since they are currently concerned about what is happening in Turkey.