Rabea TV

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Rabea TV (Arabic: الفضائية رابعة قناة), also called the revolution channel, is a Muslim Brotherhood oppositional satellite TV network that broadcasts its stream from Turkey, but targets Egyptian viewers.[1][2]

Background[edit]

The name of the network, Rabea, means the fourth, which is why its logo features a hand holding up four fingers. The name derives from a mosque and square in Cairo, where some of the largest groups of Muslim Brotherhood supporters would meet and protest. At one point there was a sit in there that lasted forty days before being dispersed. This sign symbolizes solidarity for those protestors during the anti-coup movement for the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi. Many today see this as a terrorist sign, especially considering the fact that the Egyptian government declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization in 2013.[3][4] Allegedly, the first person to physically display this slogan was Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.[5]

The network, established by the Muslim Brotherhood, launched in 2013 in Turkey.[6] Rabea TV announced in 2013 that it would begin broadcasting with the support of the Turkish State. According to local Egyptian media, Turkey"s National Security Service (MIT) founded the network under the leadership of Hakan Fidan, MIT's undersecretary of the intelligence service. In early talks about Rabea TV, a spokesperson for the Muslim Brotherhood during Morsi's presidency indicated his fears that this channel's establishment could lead to a new crisis in Egyptian-Turkish relations.[7][8] Turkish politician Faruk Logoglu expressed similar sentiments when he stated that Turkey's hosting of networks that terrorize the Egyptian people and threaten foreigners has placed Turkey in a questionable position in international platforms.[9]

Al Rabea TV broadcasts from Istanbul, and its content is known to have an Islamist slant and pushes Muslim Brotherhood propaganda. It uses the slogan, "The Pulse of Freedom" as self-promotion.[10] Despite Rabea TV being aired from Turkey, Turkish government has denied that any Muslim Brotherhood affiliate TV stations are being broadcast from Turkey.[4][11]

Controversial content[edit]

The network has aired its fair share of aggressive and violent content, and is known to incite public opinion on violence towards state, military, and civil institutions.[6] On air, a cleric named Salama Abd al-Qawi issued a statement of encouragement for anyone who would assassinate Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh al-Sisi stating that whoever got the job done would be doing a good deed.[3]

Also, on one of Rabea TV's programs, a threatening warning statement was broadcast from a group called the Revolutionary Group Leadership, telling Westerners and Western investments in Egypt to leave the country or they would be targeted soon.[9][12][13] The station also aired content that police and soldiers in attendance of a western economic conference that was to take place in Cairo would be killed.[14]

Followers[edit]

The network has YouTube and Facebook pages. Its YouTube page, founded in 2015 and featuring both a live stream and past videos, is subscribed to by over 1,100 users and has had a total of 160,112 views.[15] Its Facebook page has been active since 2013, where Rabea TV is listed as an alternative global media network. Rabea TV describes itself as an outlet to provide contemporary political issues through the Islamic perspective, highlighting issues of the Islamic world.

Additionally, it says that it seeks to achieve the demands of the Arab revolutions by building a relationship between the viewer and symbols of the Islamic intellectual.[16] The page's background photo is a picture of former Muslim Brotherhood President, Mohammed Morsi, with the channel's logo as the profile picture. It frequently posts graphic photos and controversial Islamist statements, including numerous statements against Egypt's current president al-Sisi and praises of the demoted former president, Mohammed Morsi and of terrorist linked Muslim Brotherhood founder, Yusuf al-Qaradawi.[17][18][19][20]

Ownership[edit]

Rabea TV is owned by Qatari businessman Hashim bin Mohammed al-Awadhi.[6] Al-Awadhi is the head of the media department for the controversial Qatari charity, Eid charity, also called the Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad al Thani Charitable Association.[21][22][23] This charity has a reputation for backing the Muslim Brotherhood, globally designated terrorists and terrorist financiers, and al-Qaeda members.[22][24]

Al-Awadhi's son was killed as part of ISIS's convoy of martyrs in 2015 near Kobani, Syria.[25][26][27] Furthermore, al-Awadhi's Twitter account is known to display graphic violent content that is in support of the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist advances.[28]

Current standing[edit]

Rabea TV has weakened significantly in its standing, and has been on the verge of bankruptcy. This is due in part to the recent decline in Turkey's popularity in the Middle East based on polls conducted of 16 regional states as well as negative attention from foreign entities.[5][29] Sources have reported that the Rabea TV's controversial standing has left it vulnerable to threats legal prosecution to stop broadcasting. A French satellite company has indicated its plans to discontinue the channel after it received notice of the network's association as a terrorist channel.[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Rabia TV | قناة رابعة الفضائية". Sat-address.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  2. ^ "مشاهدة قناة رابعة - قناة الثورة". Akhbaralsabah.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  3. ^ a b Hawkins, John (2015-12-12). "The Muslim Brotherhood Calls For "A Long, Uncompromising Jihad" In Egypt After Meeting With US State Department | John Hawkins' Right Wing News". Rightwingnews.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  4. ^ a b gmbwatch (2015-02-12). "Turkey Denies Muslim Brotherhood TV Channels Being Broadcast From Turkey". Globalmbwatch.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  5. ^ a b ""رابعة".. قناة إخوان مصر تطلق بثها من اسطنبول" [“Rabaa”... Ikhwan Misr channel launches its broadcast from Istanbul]. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  6. ^ a b c "تحت رعاية أردوغان.. هذه القنوات تهاجم مصر". Dotmsr.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  7. ^ "Turkish Intelligence Service MIT behind New Egyptian Islamist TV Channel | nsnbc international". Nsnbc.me. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  8. ^ "'İhvan medya' Bağcılar'da! - Türkiye Haberleri". Radikal. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  9. ^ a b Fehim Taştekin (2015-02-06). "Turkey accused of escalating violence in Egypt". Al-monitor.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  10. ^ CairoScene Team. "Rabia TV". Cairoscene.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  11. ^ "Muslim Brotherhood Operatives in Turkey Call For Killing Egyptian Officials, Threaten Egypt; Turkish MP: Turkey Shelters 'Many MB And Hamas Members' | MEMRI - The Middle East Media Research Institute". MEMRI. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  12. ^ "Feras Kilani on Twitter: "Statement on #Ikhwan #Rabea TV warning the westerns to leave #Egypt or they will be targeted soon!!". Twitter.com. 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  13. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  14. ^ الوفد. "قنوات الإخوان.. ضيافة تركية بتمويل قطري | الوفد". Alwafd.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  15. ^ "rabea tv". YouTube. 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  16. ^ "قناة رابعة الفضائية -Rabia TV - حول | فيسبوك". Ar-ar.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  17. ^ "قناة رابعة الفضائية -Rabia TV | Facebook". Facebook.com. 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  18. ^ CATF Reports. "Should QIB be judged by the company it keeps? | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance". Stopterrorfinance.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  19. ^ "Treasury Designates the Union of Good". Treasury.gov. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  20. ^ "The 'global mufti' Sarkozy barred from entering France - France 24". M.france24.com. 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  21. ^ Visit by Sheikh Eid Charitable Association,Qatar (9 September 2015). "Visit by Sheikh Eid Charitable Association,Qatar | MEDIU News". Mediu.edu.my. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  22. ^ a b "Eye on Extremism: August 3 | Counter Extremism Project". Counterextremism.com. 2016-11-28. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  23. ^ "Mediu Forum • View topic - Visit by Sheikh Eid Charitable Association,Qatar 16th Dece". 203.223.149.59. 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  24. ^ CATF Reports. "Eid Charity's Al Baraka Initiative: Admirable or Alarming? | Consortium Against Terrorist Finance". Stopterrorfinance.org. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  25. ^ رئيس (GRC) يعزي الشيخ هاشم العوضي في وفاة ابنه (2015-03-03). "رئيس (GRC) يعزي الشيخ هاشم العوضي في وفاة ابنه – وكالة أنباء أراكان ( ANA )". Arakanna.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  26. ^ "Ů†ŮˆŘ§Ů Ř§Ů"Ů...غاŮ...Řł on Twitter: "استŘ'هاد اŮ"Ů...؏اهد : Ů...ŘŮ...ŘŻ هاŘ'Ů... اŮ"ŘšŮˆŘśŮŠ Ů ŮŠ ؚين اŮ"ؚعب Ř'Ů...اŮ" ŘłŮˆŘąŮŠŘ§". Twitter.com. 2015-02-28. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  27. ^ "Thirty-five ISIS militants killed by Kurdish forces in Northeastern Syria". ARA News. 4 April 2015. Archived from the original on April 7, 2015. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  28. ^ "هاشم العوضي on Twitter: "شعار رابعة على جبل دايتي في تيرانا -البانيا الف متر من سطح البحر يوم السبت 9/14 - - تم الإرسال بواسطة واتساب". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  29. ^ "هل أوقفت الضغوط السياسية قناة رابعة الفضائية؟". Aljazeera.net. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
  30. ^ "Google Translate". 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2016-12-04.
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