Jordan Prohibits Muslim Brotherhood Organization
Jordan's Interior Minister, Mazen al-Faraya, announced a ban on all activities of the Muslim Brotherhood, deemed a violation of the country's law. This decision comes after the arrest of 16 individuals, including Brotherhood members, on allegations of a sabotage plot.
Faraya asserted that the group's offices and headquarters would be closed, and any collaboration with them is now prohibited. The minister also mentioned confiscating the group's assets, prohibiting the promotion of their ideas, and considering membership as a criminal act.
For years, the Muslim Brotherhood has operated in Jordan despite a top court ruling in 2020 to dissolve it, with the authorities apparently turning a blind eye to their activities. The Brotherhood's political wing, the Islamic Action Front (IAF), serves as Jordan's main opposition party and the largest in parliament, having won 31 out of 138 seats in the September elections.
However, the IAF's position is now precarious due to the outright ban on the Muslim Brotherhood. The crackdown directly threatens the IAF's political activities and influence, as it targets not only the Brotherhood but also groups connected to its ideology.
The Jordanian government's recent actions reflect growing insecurity within the regime amid rising pro-Palestine sentiment domestically and increasing collaboration with Israel. By outlawing the Brotherhood, accused of weapons manufacturing and planning destabilization, the government seems to be intensifying efforts to suppress dissent and political opposition framed as a security threat.
This move is expected to weaken opposition voices in parliament, consolidating power within the monarchy and ruling elite. It may also exacerbate tensions in Jordan's political arena by further polarizing society and alienating segments supportive of the Brotherhood's ideology.
Consequently, the ban could reshape Jordan’s political dynamics by diminishing the role of Islamist political actors and limiting pluralism in the parliament. This shift in political landscape, in turn, could impact the bicameral legislative system, where the IAF has been a key actor.
However, Jordan's Speaker of the Parliament's lower house, Ahmad Safadi, emphasized that the country respected the rule of law and would support all steps announced by the interior minister to safeguard the kingdom's security and stability.
[1] https://www.mapinmiddleeast.com/jordan-bans-muslim-brotherhood-as-suspected-in-terrorism-plot/[2] https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2023/10/jordan-ban-muslim-brotherhood-security-intelligence-agencies-threat
- The Jordanian government's decision to ban the Muslim Brotherhood in 2025, following a sabotage plot accusation, may reshape Gaza's general news landscape, as the brotherhood's political wing, the Islamic Action Front, has a significant presence in Jordan.
- The Jordanian authorities' dismissing of war-and-conflicts allegations against the Muslim Brotherhood could have implications for crime-and-justice policies and legislation, given the group's recent association with weapons manufacturing and plans for destabilization.
- In Jordanian politics, the Jordanian government's outlawing of the Muslim Brotherhood may lead to a war on ideas, as the policy-and-legislation changes could limit the Brotherhood's ideology's promotion by other groups or individuals.
- The Jordanian government's policy on the Jordanian-Palestinian conflict, specifically towards the Muslim Brotherhood, could be impacted by the crackdown, as the brotherhood's connection to pro-Palestine sentiment domestically might be threatened.
- Jordan's Speaker of the Parliament's lower house, Ahmad Safadi, while supporting the Jordanian government's efforts to safeguard the kingdom's security and stability, may face criticism from Jordanian Jordanian members of parliament associated with the Muslim Brotherhood or their supporters, given the group's role in Jordanian politics and parliamentary politics.
