A Saudi government employee reported corruption ... then got fired

A public sector employee in Saudi Arabia was discharged after reporting a corruption case, causing a great deal of confusion and outrage in the kingdom.

According to Saudi daily Okaz, Al-Madina Regional Municipality fired one of its 10th-rank employees after he informed the National Authority for Combating Corruption of several cases of corruption and administrative violations he had witnessed at the workplace. 

"The decision to terminate my services is an act of vengeance," the employee told Okaz, explaining that the municipality alleges that he had been absent from work - which he fully denies. 

The employee claimed that his discharge contradicts civil service laws, as he was not warned, nor interrogated with, prior to the final decision.

Details of the case remain unclear, as the municipality has not publicly justified the decision yet.

The issue quickly drew public attention on social media, with the hashtag #فصل_موظف_حكومي_لانه_بلغ_نزاهه ("Dismissal of government employee for reporting to anti-corruption authority") quickly making its way to the top Twitter trends in the kingdom:

"He reported corruption, so he was fired, rather than honored. This is catastrophic. I call for urgent intervention and the dismissal of anyone involved, such as foreigners and bribed individuals." 

"This employee should be promoted because he is a trustworthy employee. Instead, they punished him by firing him and appointing expats in his position."

"I swear I won't report anything anymore, not even at the grocery story." 

"Anyone who reports corruption in a government administration he works at risks losing his job. #the_reality_we_live_in" 

"And you still think the anti-corruption authority's work promotes integrity? Wow!" 

"We ask any honest man at the municipality who knows about the issue to speak up."