Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada Moves Caliphate Conference Online Amid Government Scrutiny
Executive Summary
Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada, the local branch of the international Islamist group that seeks to reestablish a global caliphate, was forced to cancel its in-person Khilafah 2025 conference after backlash from the Canadian government. Initially scheduled for January 18 in Ontario, the event was canceled after Canadian authorities condemned the group’s history of glorifying violence and antisemitism and began assessing it for designation as a terrorist organization. The conference has since been rescheduled as an online event for February 9. This shift reflects the growing pressure on Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is banned in multiple countries, including the UK, Germany, and much of the Muslim world. The Canadian government is now under mounting pressure from Jewish advocacy groups and counterterrorism officials to outlaw the organization.
Analysis
The decision to move Khilafah 2025 online highlights the increasing scrutiny Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada faces. The Canadian government’s decision to publicly rebuke the organization and consider its terrorist designation signals a potential policy shift toward cracking down on Islamist extremist groups operating within the country. This comes after the UK banned Hizb ut-Tahrir in January 2024, citing its open promotion of antisemitism and terrorism, particularly in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks.
Hizb ut-Tahrir’s ideology explicitly rejects democracy, promotes Sharia-based governance, and calls for the destruction of Israel. The group’s official materials describe Western liberal democracy as “corrupt” and advocate for replacing existing Muslim-majority governments with an Islamic caliphate. The Khilafah 2025 promotional materials reinforce this worldview, with scheduled lectures attacking nationalism, Western influence, and advocating for the “liberation” of Palestine through the reestablishment of the caliphate.
The Canadian government’s response to Hizb ut-Tahrir aligns with broader counterterrorism efforts, especially following the group’s involvement in radicalization networks worldwide. Authorities in India recently arrested key members of Hizb ut-Tahrir for jihadist recruitment, and the organization has been linked to extremist activity in Afghanistan and the Middle East. The push to list it as a terrorist organization would bring Canada in line with countries that have already banned it, such as Germany, Russia, Egypt, and Pakistan.
Despite these pressures, Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada continues to operate openly on social media, including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, where it actively promotes its ideology and recruitment efforts. Although its YouTube channel was removed for violating community guidelines, the group maintains a presence through podcasts and streaming platforms like SoundCloud and Spotify.
The decision to move the Khilafah 2025 conference online may allow Hizb ut-Tahrir to evade immediate government intervention while still spreading its message. However, the group’s visibility and the heightened scrutiny from Canadian authorities suggest that it may face significant legal and operational challenges in the near future. If the Canadian government proceeds with designating Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist entity, it would restrict the group’s ability to fundraise, organize, and recruit, potentially driving it further underground.
