Again, campaign banners of Bahrain Bye-elections candidate Sawsan Taqawi, running for the candidacy of the second constituency in the Northern Governorate, came under deliberate attack and vandalism, in a clear challenge to democracy in the Kingdom.
In a statement on Sunday, the candidate said that her elections campaign banners were repeatedly subject to deliberate defacing and damaging in such an intimidating way that gives an obviously and clear message of standing against the freedom of the other’s opinion and of terrorizing the candidates.
Taqawi said that she has officially filed a complaint to the Public Prosecution of the deliberate damage to her campaign banners, and that she will submit an official letter to the Minister of Justice Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa to complain about such inappropriate practices and the pressure put on her to pull out of the By-elections as well as terrorizing her in order to deter her from practicing her constitutional right.
An earlier statement by the Elections Supreme Committee denounced provocative acts by some who target the Bye-elections, as well as calls to threaten and accuse candidates of betrayal. The Committee stressed in the statement that it will not hesitate to take the appropriate legal measures against whoever dares to hinder the legal right of the candidates and the electorates. It called upon all to bear their national responsibility.
Eighteen female candidates have registered to compete in the By-elections 2011 and it is expected that competition gets intense on the election-day on 24 September.