Bahrain clerics warned not to use places of worship for campaigning

Bahrain authorities Monday warned religious leaders not to promote parliament and municipal candidates in mosques and places of worship ahead of the elections to be held next month.

The Sunni Endowments Directorate Monday announced in a statement that it had banned the use of mosques, public halls and their facilities for electoral campaigning in any form, Xinhua reported.

Imams, preachers, muezzins and halls' supervisors were prohibited from allowing those facilities to be used to promote candidates in order to preserve the sanctity of mosques, the statement said, adding that "under the ban, Friday sermons shall not be exploited to promote candidates, political societies or parliamentary blocs".

The directorate stressed that mosques or their affiliated bodies shall not host meetings, lectures or seminars to discuss issues related to the elections.

Candidates are further prohibited from distributing their electoral programmes, posters or slogans to prayers or sticking on walls of mosques or halls.

Violators will be punished by imprisonment for a period of no more than six months or fined a maximum of 500 Bahraini dinars ($1,326) or both.

A total of 493 candidates -- 322 for parliamentary and 171 for municipal council seats -- filed their nominations to run for the polls to be held Nov 22 in the four governorates of the Gulf nation.

Bahrain's main opposition group AL Wefaq National Islamic Society and four other groups are boycotting the elections.