Bahrain Mirror: Human rights activist Ibtisam Al-Saegh said that she received phone calls from citizens who were threatened by security bodies that summoned them to cancel their housing requests, if they don't participate in the coming elections.

Al-Saegh said on her Twitter account that the authorities have been "threatening and intimidating boycotters, as the elections approach, we received calls from citizens in which they expressed their concerns after being summoned through calls from the notorious Criminal Investigation Department demanding them to show with their housing request files. The calls started since Sunday 18/11/2018."

"Some people contacted the housing ministry to inquire about the relations between housing request and criminal investigations department, the legal affairs office in the housing ministry said that there is no relation between the two and they don't know the reason behind demanding the housing requests," she added.

Al-Saegh further added that some people "responded to the summons fearing night raids. The surprise was that the investigation was a bargain for their right in housing in return for taking part in the elections. The waiting room was full with citizens holding housing requests. They were banned from talking to each other. The scene was repeated the second day. A group of people who have been waiting years for their right to housing is the one targeted."

The activist stressed that "Resorting to means of coercion and intimidation to push citizens to participate in elections because they are reluctant to participate in the method of extortion is rejected, and their rights as citizens are not determined by participation or boycott. The law protects all people."

Arabic Version