Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): After the Bahraini Ministry of Interior announced that it will be monitoring any news or messages calling for non-participation in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, and referring those involved to the Public Prosecution, Bahrainis launched a civilized hashtag entitled #We_Will_Participate_If they offered what they hope for: a parliament in which they can participate, a parliament that can has its own power, a parliament that is a place for all without exception and that comes in the framework of genuine national reconciliation, also having respect for human rights and freedom of opinion.

Most of the tweeters under this hashtag found that their names were dropped from the voters' list when they checked on the 2018 elections website. The government has deprived them of their right to run for elections and vote as a punishment only for their political views and opposing stances. They are among the thousands of Bahrainis who got "no result found" when they searched for their names in the voters' list. Therefore, they are among the thousands who were denied participation in the elections by a decision made by the political authorities before they even had the chance to make their own.

All the activists and tweeters began their comments with #We_Will_Participate_If. Senior leader and former secretary general of Wa'ad Society Ibrahim Sharif tweeted on his personal Twitter page: #We_Will_Participate_If an inclusive process of national reconciliation and a comprehensive reform plan are launched, if prisoners of conscience are released, if exiled citizens are allowed to return and if the doors of freedom are opened wide.

Consultant Neurologist Dr. Taha Al-Dirazi wrote: #We_Will_Participate_If the prisons are sanitized, if the National Action Charter and Constitution are implemented and if the Parliament regains its full powers.

For his part, Al-Wefaq Society senior official and former MP Ali Al-Aswad said: #We_Will_Participate_If the Bahraini authorities respect the opinion of the people, the voter and the citizen, and allows them to express their opinion within the space of public liberties. He added that threatening boycotters or those calling for boycotting the nominal elections is a return to the state security law, which is one of the worst periods of political governance in the world.

Meanwhile, former Secretary-General of Wa'ad Society Radi Al-Mousawi said: #We_Will_Participate_If actual adequate conditions are set for citizens to participate in the current and future decision-making process, if the law of political isolation which contradicts the Constitution is abolished, if the situation is cooled down by a security and political remission, if all the prisoners of opinion and conscience are released and if international bills, including that of human rights, are respected.

Political activist and member of Wa'ad Society Farida Ghulam tweeted saying: #We_Will_Participate_If an inclusive process of national reconciliation and a comprehensive reform plan are launched, if prisoners of conscience are released, if exiled citizens are allowed to return and if the doors of freedom are opened wide.

Sheikh Mohammed Khojesta, a Bahraini whose nationality was revoked on political grounds and was exiled outside Bahrain, said: #We_Will_Participate_If citizens become equal before the law and are not discriminated on grounds of sex, origin, religion or sect.

Meanwhile, Activist Ali bin Jawad wrote: #We_Will_Participate_If steps are taken to achieve political and economic reform, and if the rule of law, democracy, pluralism, respect for human rights and popular participation in the decision-making process are established.

For his part, Activist Yousef Al-Khawaja tweeted: #We_Will_Participate_If national reconciliation is made and if all political prisoners are released, if sentences resulting from the political crisis are abolished, if laws and legislation restricting freedoms are repealed, and if constitutional reform leading to a full-fledged legislative council is accomplished.

Also, Political activist Ibrahim Al-Dirazi tweeted: #We_Will_Participate_If national reconciliation is achieved and if prisons are sanitized and if the electoral system is reformed. He then added: #We_Will_Participate_If real powers are granted to the parliament and constitutional reform is achieved leading to the opening the doors to public liberties, with the repeal of laws and legislation restricting participation, mainly the political isolation law.

Using the hashtag as well, Tweeter Ali Al-Fayez commented: #We_Will_Participate_If the dignity and pride of our people are respected, if no single political detainee is left behind bars and if the policy of persecution stops. He went on to say that: #We_Will_Participate_If marginalization, discrimination and exclusion are ended and if people became the source of sovereignty and real source of all powers.

"#We_Will_Participate_If saying Yes or No becomes the basis of political action and not saying what the authorities want only, or if not so what is the value of the elections and parliament then, said Tweeter Abo Ali Al-Bahraini.

However, Tweeter Mohammed Abdulla stated: #We_Will_Participate_If we live the freedom of opinion that the Constitution guarantees rather than the mood of an authority that arrests people and dissolves societies if they have opinions that oppose that of the authorities.

"#We_Will_Participate_If we are allowed to speak and do not get arrested for expressing our opinion due to an arbitrary implementation of the law and outdated laws, and if the popular will is respected and people actually become the source of the authorities, wrote lawyer Ali Yahya.

For his part, Tweeter Ghassan Sarhan wrote: #We_Will_Participate_If everyone starts to have the right to run for elections and vote regardless of their political backgrounds, and if it becomes possible for anyone who wants to boycott the election and promote his opinion to declare his position without fear .

Arabic Version