The summons and arrest of Palestinian political writer Ibrahim Abrash by the internal security apparatus of the Hamas government speaks volumes about the state of civil liberties in the Gaza Strip and the extent to which one can criticize Hamas, its policies and its alliances. While its opponents believe that Hamas is intolerant of criticism, supporters argue that Abrash had in fact caused incitement and used terms that went beyond constructive criticism.
Abrash, a political science professor at al-Azhar University – Gaza, accused Hamas’ security apparatus of abusing his rights without legal cause when it summoned him to appear for questioning after he published an article, which appeared on various websites, about the upcoming visit to Gaza by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, whom he characterized as the “mufti of sedition,” angering Hamas.
