Mouhanad Khorchide

During the campaign for the [[2017 Austrian legislative election]], Mouhanad Khorchide expressed support for then-[[Austrian People's Party|ÖVP]] leader [[Sebastian Kurz]]. In a commentary published in the daily newspaper ''[[Der Standard]]'' under the headline “Why Sebastian Kurz is not an Islam-hater,” Khorchide wrote that Kurz had long recognized the dangers of Political Islam, which, according to him, divides society.{{Cite book |last=Hafez |first=Farid |title=Wie Ich Zum Staatsfeind Erklärt Wurde: Farid Hafez |date=2024 |publisher=Promedia Druck- & Verlagsges.MbH |isbn=978-3-85371-529-1 |location=Wien |pages=68}}{{Cite web |title=Warum Sebastian Kurz kein Islamhasser ist |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000065500010/warum-sebastian-kurz-kein-islamhasser-ist |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=}}

During the campaign for the [[2017 Austrian legislative election]], Mouhanad Khorchide expressed support for then-[[Austrian People's Party|ÖVP]] leader [[Sebastian Kurz]]. In a commentary published in the daily newspaper ''[[Der Standard]]'' under the headline “Why Sebastian Kurz is not an Islam-hater,” Khorchide wrote that Kurz had long recognized the dangers of Political Islam, which, according to him, divides society.{{Cite book |last=Hafez |first=Farid |title=Wie Ich Zum Staatsfeind Erklärt Wurde: Farid Hafez |date=2024 |publisher=Promedia Druck- & Verlagsges.MbH |isbn=978-3-85371-529-1 |location=Wien |pages=68}}{{Cite web |title=Warum Sebastian Kurz kein Islamhasser ist |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000065500010/warum-sebastian-kurz-kein-islamhasser-ist |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=}}

Mouhanad Khorchide is a supporter of the European Citizens’ Initiative ''Stop Extremism'', founded in 2017, which aims to protect people in Europe from the consequences of extremism.{{Cite news |title=People |url=http://www.stopextremism.eu/people_supporters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825145939/http://www.stopextremism.eu/people_supporters |archive-date=2017-08-25 |access-date=2025-07-12 |work=Stop Extremism - DE |language=en}} In 2023, the magazine ''[[Profil (magazine)|Profil]]'' revealed that ''Stop Extremism'' was a campaign directed from the [[United Arab Emirates|Emirates]] targeting the Muslim Brotherhood.{{Cite web |last=stefan.melichar, anna.thalhammer |date=2023-09-19 |title=Inside the United Arab Emirate's spy campaign in Europe |url=https://www.profil.at/investigativ/inside-the-united-arab-emirates-spy-campaign-in-europe/402598541 |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=www.profil.at |language=de}}

Mouhanad Khorchide is a supporter of the European Citizens’ Initiative ''Stop Extremism'', founded in 2017, which aims to protect people in Europe from the consequences of extremism.{{Cite news |title=People |url=http://www.stopextremism.eu/people_supporters |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825145939/http://www.stopextremism.eu/people_supporters |archive-date=2017-08-25 |access-date=2025-07-12 |work=Stop Extremism - DE |language=en}} In 2023, the magazine ''[[Profil (magazine)|Profil]]'' revealed that ''Stop Extremism'' was a campaign directed from the [[United Arab Emirates|Emirates]] targeting the Muslim Brotherhood.{{Cite web |first1=Stefan|last1=Melichar|first2=Anna|last2=Thalhammer |date=2023-09-19 |title=Inside the United Arab Emirate's spy campaign in Europe |url=https://www.profil.at/investigativ/inside-the-united-arab-emirates-spy-campaign-in-europe/402598541 |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=www.profil.at |language=de}}

In spring 2021, the Austrian government under Kurz II introduced a new criminal offense of “religiously motivated extremist association” (§ 247b of the Criminal Code). Initially, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) targeted what it referred to as “Political Islam” and the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the coalition partner, [[The Greens (Austria)|The Greens]], advocated for a religiously neutral wording, leading to an adjustment in the legal text. Several courts and legal scholars criticized the introduction of the offense, citing its vagueness and lack of necessity.{{Cite web |last=vogl |first=ORF at/Agenturen |date=2020-12-16 |title=Berichte: Religiöser Extremismus kommt in Strafgesetzbuch |url=https://orf.at/stories/3193949/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=news.ORF.at |language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Antiterrorpaket: Scharfe Kritik an "symbolischer Gesetzgebung" |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000122599511/antiterrorpaket-scharfe-kritik-an-symbolischer-gesetzgebung |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}}{{Cite web |title=Zu viel Symbolpolitik im Anti-Terror-Gesetz |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000126574345/zu-viel-symbolpolitik-im-anti-terror-gesetz |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}} In a statement to the National Council, Mouhanad Khorchide, chair of the scientific advisory board of the Documentation Centre for Political Islam, welcomed the new provision and argued that it was particularly applicable to the Muslim Brotherhood.{{Cite web | url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVII/SNME/36551/imfname_882084.pdf | title=Stellungnahme zum Entwurf des Bundesgesetzes, mit dem das Strafgesetzbuch, die Strafprozessordnung 1975, das Strafvollzugsgesetz und das Gerichtsorganisationsgesetz zur Bekämpfung von Terror geändert werden (Terror-Bekämpfungs-Gesetz – TeBG) | language=de | trans-title=Statement on the draft federal law amending the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure 1975, the Prison Act and the Court Organization Act to combat terrorism (Terrorism Prevention Act – TeBG) | website=www.parlament.gv.at}}

In spring 2021, the Austrian government under Kurz II introduced a new criminal offense of “religiously motivated extremist association” (§ 247b of the Criminal Code). Initially, the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) targeted what it referred to as “Political Islam” and the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the coalition partner, [[The Greens (Austria)|The Greens]], advocated for a religiously neutral wording, leading to an adjustment in the legal text. Several courts and legal scholars criticized the introduction of the offense, citing its vagueness and lack of necessity.{{Cite web |last=vogl |first=ORF at/Agenturen |date=2020-12-16 |title=Berichte: Religiöser Extremismus kommt in Strafgesetzbuch |url=https://orf.at/stories/3193949/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=news.ORF.at |language=de}}{{Cite web |title=Antiterrorpaket: Scharfe Kritik an "symbolischer Gesetzgebung" |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000122599511/antiterrorpaket-scharfe-kritik-an-symbolischer-gesetzgebung |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}}{{Cite web |title=Zu viel Symbolpolitik im Anti-Terror-Gesetz |url=https://www.derstandard.at/story/2000126574345/zu-viel-symbolpolitik-im-anti-terror-gesetz |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=DER STANDARD |language=de-AT}} In a statement to the National Council, Mouhanad Khorchide, chair of the scientific advisory board of the Documentation Centre for Political Islam, welcomed the new provision and argued that it was particularly applicable to the Muslim Brotherhood.{{Cite web | url=https://www.parlament.gv.at/dokument/XXVII/SNME/36551/imfname_882084.pdf | title=Stellungnahme zum Entwurf des Bundesgesetzes, mit dem das Strafgesetzbuch, die Strafprozessordnung 1975, das Strafvollzugsgesetz und das Gerichtsorganisationsgesetz zur Bekämpfung von Terror geändert werden (Terror-Bekämpfungs-Gesetz – TeBG) | language=de | trans-title=Statement on the draft federal law amending the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure 1975, the Prison Act and the Court Organization Act to combat terrorism (Terrorism Prevention Act – TeBG) | website=www.parlament.gv.at}}