Jordan Outlaws Muslim Brotherhood, Citing 'Illegal Activities'

On Wednesday Jordan's government imposed a total ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, arguing that the opposition group was taking part in sabotage and threatening national security. Interior Minister Mazin Fraya said the group's activities were illegal, and that he was ordering that the group be raided for its headquarters as well as take over its properties. Authorities claim that the group's members were making bombs and were planning to attack security forces.

The ban involves shutting down offices, stopping publications, and prosecuting those who promote the ideology of the Brotherhood. The Interior Ministry has stated that the "covert operations" of the Brotherhood threaten public order, citing the arrest of 16 people for, among other reasons, the production of missiles and the illegal training of armed groups, and also referring to a 2024 foiled sabotage scheme demanded by the Brotherhood.The Brotherhood rejects all the charges and maintains that it only advocates for peaceful reforms.

The Brotherhood has a long-standing presence in Jordan, operating the Islamist political party, the Islamic Action Front (IAF). As seen in the last election, the IAF won significant seats in government during the time of ongoing protests against Israel in the Gaza war, and despite a partial ban nearly a decade ago, a licensed splinter group of the Brotherhood continued limited activity. The IAF's popular grassroots base, especially in cities, has always presented itself as the main opposition group in Jordan.

Rights organizations consider the crackdown a politically driven repression. Amnesty International denounced Jordan’s use of “vague laws” to suppress dissent and noted a growing number of critics being arrested. Founded in Egypt, the Brotherhood has been banned throughout the Middle East and many governments consider it to be a destabilizing factor, despite its claims of nonviolence.