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Al-Wefaq: Bahrain's Sham Elections Failed, Further Repression and Violations Expected in Coming Period

2022-11-18 - 12:11 p

Bahrain Mirror: Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a statement in which it said that the "Bahraini regime conducted a sham election process amid political repression and flagrant human rights violations, while violations and harassment are expected to increase in the coming period."

It explained that "The rate of participation has severely declined in rejection of the regime's elections, which are full of disasters, legal and constitutional violations, the escalation of the stifling political crisis, and the absence of the lowest level of freedoms and rights in Bahrain. The elections lacked all international standards for sound elections, professional elements and the political environment that constitutes a ground for the success of any electoral process."

Al-Wefaq wrote down a number of notes on the sham electoral process: 

First: Depriving very large number of Bahrainis from running for and participating in elections under titles of political and sectarian rooting out and preventing non-governmentals and opponents from participating. 

Second: The elections were held according to secret numbers of the blocs, as the names and numbers of voters in each constituency were not known, which facilitates the fraud and manipulation processes to come up with false numbers and make the government chooses whoever it wants. 

Third: There was a total absence of any international or neutral local organizations in monitoring the process, which means a complete absence of monitoring the elections held in a crisis and stifling political environment. 

Fourth: Preventing and blocking all free media outlets from direct coverage while only allowing government media outlets.

Fifth: The elections were held amid a state of intimidation and extreme pressure on citizens, prevention of protests, banning of freedom of expression, ongoing imprisonment of political detainees, wide security campaign before elections, as well as arresting and summoning citizens for reasons related to the elections.

Sixth: The elections were conducted according to unfair constituencies that do not reflect the will of the citizens but guarantees the regime's acquisition of the council's seats, its political, economic and other resolutions.

Seventh: The absence of tours of the diplomatic missions for the details of the electoral process was noticed, as well as the lack of usual international praise for Bahrain's elections for the first time, in a clear message that reflects that these countries are not convinced of the integrity of the elections.

Eighth: It was noted that there were violent reactions and accusations of fraud and  manipulation of numbers through videos of judges and heads of committees revealing fraud.

Ninth: Directing a large number of military and security personnels and some institutions, which are many, to vote for specific candidates, at the request of the higher authorities.

Arabic Version