A group calling itself "al-Touafan" ("the Flood") claimed responsibility for at least some of the attacks, saying they were "due to the persecution carried out by the Bahraini authorities, and in implementation of the popular will to boycott the sham elections".

[7] Citizens could also be disqualified from voting if they had been members of opposition parties and groups that the government had banned, if they had previously resigned from parliament,[4] or if they had been sentenced to more than six months in prison.

[8] Former members of Wa'd, al-Wefaq, and Amal, formerly-legal opposition parties, were banned from standing for election, and from taking leadership positions in civil society organisations.

[8] The government banned all false or confusing statements that could affect the election, and all unlicensed public gatherings, and demonstrations, with sentences of two years for violations.

[4] Amnesty International stated "These highly restrictive measures quash much of the scope for the exercise of the human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association, and public participation" in the election.

A group calling itself "al-Touafan" ("the Flood") claimed responsibility for at least some of the attacks, saying they were "due to the persecution carried out by the Bahraini authorities, and in implementation of the popular will to boycott the sham elections".