Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood Admits Committing ‘Mistakes’ during ‘Revolution’

Cairo - Mohamed Nabil Helmy

The Muslim Brotherhood, classified as a terrorist organization in Egypt, has admitted to what it termed “mistakes (made) during the revolution of January 24, 2011, and its stage of governance.”

In a statement on its official websites and media, its first after the death of former President Mohammed Morsi, 68, on June 17 during his re-trial, the Movement said there was a “suspicious international complicity” on his death.

However, it reiterated its intention to bring up the issue of prisoners with legislators abroad and international forums.

On several occasions, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi indicated that reconciliation with the Muslim Brotherhood is up to the Egyptian people, and he will approve what the people want. He also refers to the “crimes” committed by the group.

The group's statement said it now separates between the general political action and narrow partisan competition for power, in what seems to be an admission to the failure of its experience with the Freedom and Justice Party.

The Brotherhood pointed out that “after the termination of the ‘military coup’" as worded in the statement, it will now focus on working as a national movement with an Islamic background, supporting the nation, practicing political life in its general framework, and backing all national factions that meet the group’s vision.

The group announced that its members of specialists and scientists are allowed to engage in political work through parties and movements that meet its vision of advancing the nation.

The Freedom and Justice Party was dissolved by a final judicial ruling in 2014, three years after its establishment, and following the overthrow of Morsi in June 2013 due to mass popular protests.

The group considered that Morsi's death imposed a new reality in the form and nature of the conflict. In an attempt to win dissidents over, the Brotherhood asked for the unification of what it called the “revolutionary camp” and called upon “different ideologies and rhetoric, specifically our brothers” to overcome disagreements."

With the Brotherhood’s announcement of “multiple internal reviews” which led to the evaluation of its errors, the group once again blamed “allies and rivals of the revolution” adding that those miscalculations and differences enabled the ‘counter-revolution’ from taking control.

The General Office of the Muslim Brotherhood which issued the statement, announced it will communicate during the coming period with all members of the anti-regime camp in Egypt, without specifying the names of figures or parties.