Tunisia’s Islamic Renaissance Movement disowns relation with Qatar

CAIRO – 2 August 2017: The Head of Tunisia’s Islamic Renaissance Movement, Rashid al-Ghannoushi, disowned relation with Qatar, and International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, according to his interview with Tunisian TV channel Nesma.

This came in response to increasing pressure against the movement, which is the Tunisian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, for accusations related to its relationship with Qatar and the terrorist organizations in the region.

Al-Ghannoushi denied that his party had received any money from Qatar, and asserted that that the movement is presenting its financial accounts to the accounting department for review.

“We are not political Islam, we are not extremists, we are democratic Muslims and part of the Tunisian society," he further said.

On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed economic sanctions, accusing it of funding terrorism, a claim Qatar rejects. They also closed their airspace and seaports to Qatari transportation.