Hamas police forces arrest public employee for criticizing Gazan government corruption

The employee, Rami Riyan, who works at Gaza's Interior Ministry, wrote a post on Facebook attacking the Ministry of the Treasury which decided to buy new cars for government's directors general.

By MAAYAN GROISMAN
Hamas military summer camp (photo credit: REUTERS)
Hamas military summer camp
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Hamas police forces arrested on Tuesday a Gazan public employee who criticized the movement, claiming that the Hamas-led government in Gaza is corrupt.
The employee, Rami Riyan, who works at Gaza's Interior Ministry, wrote a post on his Facebook page on February 11, criticizing the government in Gaza. In the post, Riyan attacked the Ministry of the Treasury for its decision to buy 36 cars for the directors general of the government amid the growing financial distress of Gaza's public employees who receive a very low salary.
The post read: "While public employees lack a loaf of bread to feed their children, the Ministry of the Treasury buys 36 cars for the directors general in the government to replace their old cars. How is it possible that you attribute greater importance to the conditions of directors general than to the empty stomach of an employee's child? How can we hear you expressing solidarity with us while we see these satanic actions?"
Although Riyan was arrested for ten days, he was released Wednesday thanks to the pressure exerted for his release by Palestinian activists who launched a social media campaign calling on Gaza police to free him.
Nevertheless, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council in Gaza, Jamal Nassar, praised Hamas rule on Tuesday. Speaking at a conference about the siege on Gaza at the Legislative Council, Nassar claimed that Gaza is witnessing economic prosperity under Hamas rule, mainly due to tunnels constructed during the rule of ousted Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi.