Hashim bin Mohammed al-Awadhy

Hashim bin Mohammed al-Awadhy (Arabic: العوضي محمد بن هاشم) is a Qatari businessman and the CEO of Retaj Hotels & Hospitality, the owner of Rabea TV, and an official with the Qatar-based Eid Charity Association. Al-Awadhy’s son, Mohammed bin Hashim al-Awadhy, was the coordinator of an Islamic fundraising campaign and was killed while fighting with ISIS in Syria. Al-Awadhy currently resides in Doha, Qatar.

Retaj Hotels & Hospitality

Retaj Hotels & Hospitality is a Qatari real estate and hospitality company established in Doha in 2004.^[1] Retaj Hotels has 10 hotel locations primarily based in Qatar but also located in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the Comoros.^[2] Retaj Hotels are "Islamic hotels" and alcohol and smoking is banned at all locations.^[3]

In a "Letter from CEO," CEO Hashim al-Awadhy describes his ambitions for the company’s growth and expansion.^[4] The company’s mission is "to celebrate and regenerate the Arabic traditional hospitality and service delivery, and to be recognized as the number one employer and a leading hospitality management group."^[2]

Retaj Hotels & Hospitality is overseen by its parent company, Retaj Marketing & Project Management, which is owned by five Qatari public and private-sector investors. According to reports, Retaj is hoping to open locations in Europe and the United States and is focusing on acquiring existing hotel outlets in the United States.^[5]

Rabea TV

Rabea TV is a Muslim Brotherhood opposition TV network launched in 2013 in response to the coup that led to the removal of former Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi from office.^[6] Hashim bin Mohammed al-Awadhy is the owner of the network.^[6] The network’s name refers to a 2013 raid of Muslim Brotherhood supporters during a sit-in in Rabaa al-Adawiya Square and is a common reference to support for the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Although Rabea TV is broadcast from Istanbul, Turkey, the network targets Egyptian viewers through its content and focus on Egyptian news.^[7]

Controversy

Rabea TV is considered to promote the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. However, Turkish officials have denied the existence of any Muslim Brotherhood affiliate TV networks broadcast from Turkey.^[8]

Rabea TV has also featured cleric Salama Abd al-Qawi who encouraged the assassination of Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.^[9] Rabea TV’s programs have also featured threats to Egyptian police officers, soldiers, and Westerners in attendance of an economic conference in Cairo.^[10]

Tourism Peace Magazine

Hashim al-Awadhy is the general supervisor of the Tourism Peace magazine.^[11] In 2015, al-Awadhy reportedly met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to discuss opportunities related to tourism cooperation.^[11] Pictures of the meeting emerged on social media.^[12]

Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association

Hashim al-Awadhy serves as the adviser to the Director General at Sheikh Eid bin Mohammad Al Thani Charitable Association, often referred to as Eid Charity.^[13] Before holding this position, al-Awadhy served as the Director of the Media Center.^[14] Eid Charity is a prominent Doha-based NGO named after his Excellency Sheikh Eid Ibn Mohammad Ibn Thani Ibn Jasim Ibn Mohammad Al Thani. Eid Charity provides a range of charitable and humanitarian services to those in need, both in Qatar and beyond.^[15] Hashim al-Awadhy has been named in a number of Eid Charity publications.^[13][16][17]

Eid Charity has also been found to have ties to the U.S. designated terrorist group Hamas through its membership in the "Union of Good" organization led by Yusuf al-Qaradawi.^[18] Eid Charity has also been listed as supervising Madid Ahl al-Sham fundraising efforts and having ties to Specially Designated Global Terrorist Abd al-Nuaymi.^[18][19][20] Madid Ahl al-Sham has been accused, by the U.S. Department of State and the Washington Post, of being a fundraising effort for extremist elements operating in Syria, more specifically al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra.^[19][21]

Mohammed bin Hashim al-Awadhy

Hashim al-Awadhy’s son, Mohammed al-Awadhy, was a point of contact for the Wa Atasemo for the Relief of our People in Syria Islamic fundraising campaign.^[22] Mohammed al-Awadhy’s name and phone number are listed on the campaign’s pictures. On Wa Atasemo’s Twitter account, the campaign is followed by supporters of ISIS and other Islamist groups.^[22]

Mohammed al-Awadhy’s death was first reported in February 2014.^[23] According to the Violations Documentation Center in Syria, Al-Awadhy was found dead in the Idlib Governorate between the towns of Binnish and Taftanaz.^[23] Following his death, Mohammed al-Awadhy was described as belonging to the "convoy of martyrs" by ISIS-supporters.

References