Iran Press/ Middle East: Bahraini opposition Rashid al-Rashid says: "Talking about elections is talking about democracy and everyone knows that there is no democracy in Bahrain, and that's why people don't want to participate in the elections. The opposition and the people of Bahrain do not want to be a puppet in the hands of the Bahraini regime to repair its face as a dictator. The Bahraini regime encouraged people to go to the polls with vast television advertisements."
Ebrahim Al-Awadi, director of the political office of Bahrain's February 14th movement, says:
"February 14th Movement and other Bahraini opposition believe that holding these elections not only does not help democracy, but also leads to boost the dictatorship of the rulers of Bahrain." Before the elections, Al Khalifa invited Pope Francis and Sheikh Al-Azhar to Manama and met with them. While the representatives of the majority were in prison or in exile, the representatives of all religions and minorities of Bahrain attended the meeting of Bahraini officials with the Pope and Sheikh Al-Azhar.
Seyyed Morteza Al-Sandi, The spokesman for Bahrain’s Al-Wafa'a Islamic Party, says about the visit of the leader of the world's Catholics to Manama: "The Pope's trip to Bahrain is to cover up Al-Khalifa's crimes, to pretend that there is coexistence of religions and to justify the betrayal of compromise with the Zionist regime."
The lack of free elections and the removal of the majority from power in 2011 led to public protests that were suppressed in the same year, and even now people consider the elections to be ceremonial.
Abdul Raouf Al-Shayib, Secretary General of the Free Bahrain Movement, stated in an interview with Iran Press in Tehran: "Bahraini people want the freedom to determine their own destiny, choose leaders, and have a constitution approved by the nation. Abdul Raouf Al-Shayib stressed that the peaceful political and legal protests of the Bahraini people were suppressed so that the Al-Khalifa regime would remain, but we will not return from our path and the Bahraini nation insists on its right to self-determination.
By granting citizenship to foreign nationals, the Al-Khalifa regime makes them citizens of Bahrain to use them in voting. In the previous elections, those who were not Bahraini but had Bahraini identification documents also voted. Sheikh Hussain al-Daihi, The deputy secretary general of Bahrain’s dissolved al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, says about the importance of granting citizenship to foreigners: "Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants and foreign workers have obtained Bahraini citizenship and influence the elections, the Al-Khalifa regime organizes them."
Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Bahrain, emphasized in a message that participation in the elections means confirming the current situation and normalizing relations with the Israelis. Those who invite people to participate in the elections are supporters of the Manama regime.
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Bahrain Parliamentary elections; country where democracy is an illusion
Constitution should be approved by the nation: Free Bahrain Movement
